Szuplewska Magdalena, Czarnecki Jakub, Bartosik Dariusz
Faculty of Biology; Institute of Microbiology; Department of Bacterial Genetics; University of Warsaw ; Warsaw, Poland.
Mob Genet Elements. 2015 Feb 3;4(6):1-4. doi: 10.1080/2159256X.2014.998537. eCollection 2014 Nov-Dec.
The Tn family of transposons includes diverse elements that encode homologous transposases and contain conserved terminal inverted repeat sequences (IRs). The recent identification of non-autonomous elements, named TIMEs (Tn-derived Inverted-repeat Miniature Elements), has shed new light on the diversity and evolution of this transposon family. A common feature of TIMEs and other members of this family is their ability to mobilize genomic DNA for transposition as part of composite transposons. These elements significantly influence the structure and properties of plasmids and other mobile genetic elements (MGEs). They may contain and move by transposition (i) plasmid replication systems, (ii) toxin-antitoxin systems and (iii) site-specific recombination modules that can resolve plasmid multimers. Some Tn family elements may also transfer large segments of chromosomal DNA into plasmids, which increases the pool of mobile DNA that can take part in horizontal gene transfer.
转座子Tn家族包含多种元件,这些元件编码同源转座酶并含有保守的末端反向重复序列(IR)。最近发现的非自主元件,称为TIMEs(Tn衍生的反向重复微型元件),为这个转座子家族的多样性和进化提供了新的线索。TIMEs和该家族其他成员的一个共同特征是,作为复合转座子的一部分,它们能够动员基因组DNA进行转座。这些元件显著影响质粒和其他可移动遗传元件(MGE)的结构和特性。它们可能包含并通过转座移动(i)质粒复制系统、(ii)毒素-抗毒素系统和(iii)可解决质粒多聚体的位点特异性重组模块。一些Tn家族元件还可能将大片段染色体DNA转移到质粒中,这增加了可参与水平基因转移的可移动DNA库。