Transposable elements - Lecture 2

Question 1

Who discovered eukaryotic transposons?

Answer 1

Barbara McClintock

Question 2

What are Ac/Ds transposable elements?

Answer 2

transposable elements

Ds can induce chromosome breakage but cannot move without Ac

Question 3

Describe the structure if retrovirus transposons.

Answer 3

Have RT and integrate encoding gene in centre of chromosome, then terminal inverted repeats on either side with target side duplication beside each inverted repeat

Question 4

Describe the structure of retrotransposons.

Answer 4

genes encoding RT and endonuclease in centre followed by untranslated regions (UTR) on either side, then poly A tail beside each UTR, and target site duplication sequences are creating during integration

Question 5

What are the main two types of transposons in humans?

Answer 5

Long and short interspersed nuclear elements

Question 6

What does the formation of loops within a chromosome during transposon replication result in?

Answer 6

a deletion

Question 7

What does the bending of a chromosome during transposon replication result in?

Answer 7

transposons oriented in opposite directions

Question 8

What does unequal exchange in chromosome during transposon replication result in?

Answer 8

one chromosome with deletion and one with a duplication

Question 9

Describe short interspersed nuclear elements.

Answer 9

contains Alu element and requires RT

Question 10

Describe long interspersed nuclear elements.

Answer 10

contains L1 element, encode nucleic acid binding protein activity, endonuclease protein, and RT activity