Mobile DNA elements can disrupt gene expression and cause biological variation, study shows
Friday, February 24, 2012 - 12:30
in Biology & Nature
The many short pieces of mobile DNA that exist in the genome can contribute to important biological differences between strains of mice, according to a new study. The mobile DNA, sometimes called jumping genes, can disrupt gene expression even from a distance, with the disruption influenced by the gender of the parent that supplied it. The findings reveal a mechanism of natural variation in animals and humans that may apply to cancer and other diseases.