Mobile genetic elements facts for kids
Mobile genetic elements (MGE) are a type of DNA that can move around within the genome. They include:
- Transposons (also called transposable elements)
- Retrotransposons
- DNA transposons
- Integrons
- Insertion sequences
- Plasmids
- Bacteriophage elements, like Mu which integrates randomly into the genome
- Group II introns
The total of all mobile genetic elements in a genome may be referred to as the mobilome.
Barbara McClintock was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements".
Related pages
- Miller W.J. and Capy P. (eds) 2004. Mobile genetic elements : protocols and genomic applications. Humana Press. ISBN: 1-58829-007-7
- Shapiro J.A. (ed) 1983. Mobile genetic elements. Academic Press. ISBN: 0-12-638680-3
See also
In Spanish: Elementos genéticos móviles para niños
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Mobile genetic elements Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.