Functional and evolutionary roles of co-opted transposable elements

我研究的中心主题是了解转座因子在进化中的作用和影响，特别是它们对宿主的有益功能。转座因子可能是自生命起源以来基因组的基本组成部分。它们长期的进化持久性反映在它们在真核生物基因组中的高拷贝数上，从面包酵母基因组中的百分之几到玉米基因组中的绝大多数，再到我们自己的基因组。转座因子明显不同于“宿主”基因，因为它们是移动的，而宿主基因在表型选择下进化，转座因子在自私选择下进化。这提供了一种情况，表明转座因子与宿主基因不一致;事实上，转座因子通常被视为寄生的，有害的，或者充其量是垃圾DNA。虽然这种范式可能仍然占主导地位，但越来越多的证据表明，转座因子可能为宿主提供益处，并支持转座因子作为基因组和基因网络塑造者的观点。

The central theme of my research is to understand the role and impact of transposable elements in evolution especially their beneficial functions for the host. Transposable elements have likely been fundamental components of genomes since the inception of life. Their long evolutionary persistence is reflected in their high copy number in eukaryotic genomes, from a few percent in the genome of baker's yeast to making up the vast majority of the genomes of, for example, maize to our own. Transposable elements are distinctly different than "host" genes in that they are mobile and, whereas host genes evolve under phenotypic selection, transposable elements evolve under selfish selection. This provides a scenario suggesting transposable elements are at odds with host genes; in fact, transposable elements are commonly viewed as parasitic, detrimental, or, at best, junk DNA. Though this paradigm may still reign, increasing evidence now suggests that transposable elements may provide a benefit for the host and supports the view of transposable elements as shapers of genomes and gene networks.