Directed evolution: Transposable elements.
submitted by: 41161351
Transposons (TEs) or 'jumping genes', and sequences derived from transposons, make up a considerable proportion of the genomes of all organisms. There is evidence which suggests that TEs are derived from retroviruses which have become incorporated into the genomes of their hosts. While most TE derived DNA is of unknown function, some protien coding genes have been shown to be derived from TEs and retroviruses. Recent studies done which look at the evolution of mammals, in particular primates and homonids, suggest that TEs may have played an important role in the evolution of humans. It appears that there still are transposons active in the human genome which may contribute to both disease and genetic variatation. Transposon-derived DNA sequences are proving useful in assessing the genetic relationships between organisms, even within populations of a species. If you're interested in finding out more go to:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/erhbgtt39fuxyr9t/fulltext.pdf
or
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/69502244/PDFSTART
or
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2148-4-38.pdf
