Question

Topic 6. DNA Replication, Repair and Recombination Some retrotransposons and retroviruses integrate preferentially into regions of the chromosome that are: (a) packaged in euchromatin and; (b) located outside the regions of genes that encode the amino acid sequences of proteins. Why might these mobile genetic elements have evolved this strategy?

Answer 1

Retrotransposons are the genetic elements that can jump from one location in the genome to another location and move by means of RNA intermediate. On the other hand, retroviruses are the virus that insert a part of its genome to another organism DNA. Both the retrotransposons and retrovirus mainly integrate in the region of packaged euchromatin and intronic sequence to bring alteration in gene expression, bringing some mutation and contribute to the genetic innovation. All these changes are required by the organism to evolve and to bring genetic variation between the individuals of the population that allow them to have different survival rate in changing environment conditions. For example, human half genome is derived from transposon as revealed during human genome sequencing.