Mobile genetic elements

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

• Horizontal gene transfer

References

• 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

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