Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Genetics

Junk DNA as an evolutionary force

Nature volume 443, pages 521–524 (2006)Cite this article

Transposable elements were long dismissed as useless, but they are emerging as major players in evolution. Their interactions with the genome and the environment affect how genes are translated into physical traits.

The elements contain in their sequence all the instructions needed to cut themselves out of their host DNA and splice themselves into another spot. But they are not always benign 'junk' DNA — they can insert into genes or gene regulatory elements, potentially disrupting the gene's function, and they can trigger chromosome rearrangements. So, even though most copies are selectively neutral and not in themselves damaging, they have long been considered as predominantly harmful to their hosts, as they can contribute to the appearance of mutations, some of which can result in disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Brandt, J. et al. Gene 345, 101–111 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Medstrand, P. et al. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 110, 342–352 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Messing, J. & Dooner, H. K. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 9, 157–163 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Nishihara, H. et al. Genome Res. 16, 864–874 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Peaston, A. et al. Dev. Cell 7, 597–606 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Walter, J., Hutter, B., Khare, T. & Paulsen, M. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 113, 109–115 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kalmykova, A. I., Klenov, M. S. & Gvozdev, V. A. Nucleic Acids Res. 33, 2052–2059 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Buchon, N. & Vaury, C. Heredity 96, 195–202 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Muotri, A. R. et al. Nature 435, 903–910 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Martienssen, R. A., Doerge, R. W. & Colot, V. Chromosome Res. 13, 299–308 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. McDonald, J. F., Matzke, M. A. & Matzke, A. J. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 110, 242–249 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fraga, M. F. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 102, 10604–10609 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kim, S. Y. et al. Plant Cell 17, 3301–3310 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lippman, Z. et al. Nature 430, 471–476 (2004).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Morgan, H. D. et al. Nature Genet. 23, 314–318 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Waterland, R. A. & Jirtle, R. L. Nutrition 20, 63–68 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hughes, J. F. & Coffin, J. M. Genetics 171, 1183–1194 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Feinberg, A. P. et al. Nature Rev. Genet. 7, 21–33 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kazazian, H. H. Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 8, 343–350 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Frendo, J. L. et al. Mol. Cell Biol. 23, 3566–3574 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kaiser, J. Science 310, 1894–1896 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Grahn, R. A. et al. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 110, 407–415 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. 23. Bié mont, C. & Vieira, C. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 110, 25–34 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lynch, M. & Conery, J. S. Science 302, 1401–1404 (2003).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kidwell, M. G. & Lisch, D. R. Evolution 55, 1–24 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Fablet, M. et al. Gene 375, 54–62 (2006).

  27. Pritchard, C. et al. Genome Biol. 7, R6 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Whitehead, A. & Crawford, D. L. Genome Biol. 6, R13 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Rangwala, S. H. et al. PLoS Genet. 2, 271–281 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Capy, P. Cytogenet. Genome Res. 110, 457–461 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR 5558, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, 69622, Cedex, France

    Christian Biémont & Cristina Vieira

Authors
  1. Christian Biémont
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cristina Vieira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Biémont, C., Vieira, C. Junk DNA as an evolutionary force. Nature 443, 521–524 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/443521a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/443521a

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing