Resource: Genetics CHAT transcript – Tuesday 3rd December 2019
Moderator: To kick us off. As a challenge for you all, tell me one thing about Genetics you think I wont have heard about.
Reka – Industry geneticist: Did you know about ‘jumping genes’ (aka transposons), and how Barbara McClintock discovered them by studying colourful corn that had kernels of many different colours?
Eugene – Wellcome Sanger Research Fellow: Did my PhD studying human transposons
Francesca – Wellcome Genome Campus Education Development Lead: @Eugene @Reka what is the function of a Transposon?
Nikolai – Plant geneticist: Transposons can be fab. Transposons offer a way for genomes to evolve by copying existing genes (fully or partially); these copies are then freed from evolutionary constraints and can obtain new functions (yay) or simply become a pseudogene (booh)
Reka: @Francesca Tough to say as far as I’m aware – they are remnants of viruses that have embedded themselves in our genomes. I believe one theory is that while sometimes they can insert themselves into a gene and wreak havoc, they also contribute to maintaining genetic diversity Continue reading