Elucidating the Mechanisms of Transposable Elements using Experimental and Bioinformatic Approaches: The hAT Superfamily of Transposable Elements in the Genome of Aedes aegypti and TE Displayer
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Transposable elements (TEs) are found in nearly all eukaryotic genomes and are a major driving force of genome evolution. The hAT superfamily of TEs are found in a variety of organisms, including plants, fungi, insects and animals. To date, only 14 hAT TEs in the Aedes aegypti genome have been annotated as having a hAT transposase coding sequence. In this study, extensive bioinformatic approaches have been employed to find hAT TEs that encode transposases in the A. aegypti genome. A total of six newly-identified TEs belonging to the hAT superfamily were discovered in the A. aegypti genome. Furthermore, a computer program called TE Displayer was developed to analyze TEs in genome sequences. TE Displayer detects TE-derived polymorphisms in genome datasets and presents the results on a virtual gel image. TE Displayer enables researchers to compare TE profiles in silico and provides a reference profile for experimental analyses.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Rebecca Rooke
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: University of Toronto
OpenAlex ID: W2586570633