title: Transposable elements in the mammalian embryo: pioneers surviving through stealth and service.
abstract: Transposable elements (TEs) are notable drivers of genetic innovation. Over evolutionary time, TE insertions can supply new promoter, enhancer, and insulator elements to protein-coding genes and establish novel, species-specific gene regulatory networks. Conversely, ongoing TE-driven insertional mutagenesis, nonhomologous recombination, and other potentially deleterious processes can cause sporadic disease by disrupting genome integrity or inducing abrupt gene expression changes. Here, we discuss recent evidence suggesting that TEs may contribute regulatory innovation to mammalian embryonic and pluripotent states as a means to ward off complete repression by their host genome.
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerdes
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada. dmager@bccrc.ca.
authors.forename: Dixie L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Mager
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, TRI Building, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia. faulknergj@gmail.com.|School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. faulknergj@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Geoffrey J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Faulkner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements