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。自生命开始以来，转座子很可能就是基因组的基本组成部分。它们的长期进化持久性反映在它们在真核基因组中的高拷贝数上，从面包师酵母基因组中的几个百分点到构成我们自己的玉米等基因组的绝大多数。转座元件与“宿主”基因明显不同，因为它们是可移动的，而宿主基因在表型选择下进化，而转座元件在自私选择下进化。这提供了一种场景，表明可转座元件与宿主基因不一致；事实上，可转座元件通常被视为寄生的、有害的，或者充其量是垃圾DNA。尽管这一模式可能仍然占据主导地位，但现在越来越多的证据表明，转座元件可能为宿主提供好处，并支持转座元件是基因组和基因网络的塑造者的观点。

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.