Nearly Half of Our Genome Is Composed of Transposon Repeats

question 36

Essay

Nearly half of our genome is composed of transposon repeats, some of which can actively transpose, occasionally causing disease by inserting into or close to genes, (causing gene inactivation or inappropriate expression of oncogenes). Many of them work by making copies that transpose and so can increase in copy number, and so there is a need to limit the number of actively transposing sequences in case they overwhelm the genome. Two types of small RNAs act to limit the spread of transposons. What are these RNAs and where do they work?

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Definitions:

Resource

A source or supply from which a benefit is produced and that has some utility, which can include natural resources, human resources, and capital.

Units

A measurement or quantity of something, used in various contexts such as economics, to quantify production, sales, or other items.

Purely Competitive

A market structure characterized by an infinite number of small buyers and sellers where the product is a commodity, allowing no single participant to significantly influence price.

Resource Market

The marketplace where resources or inputs (such as labor, raw materials, and capital) are bought and sold for the purpose of producing goods and services.