TY - JOUR
T1 - Transposable elements and small RNAs
T2 - Genomic fuel for species diversity
AU - Hoffmann, Federico G.
AU - McGuire, Liam P.
AU - Counterman, Brian A.
AU - Ray, David A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - While transposable elements (TE) have long been suspected of involvement in species diversification, identifying specific roles has been difficult. We recently found evidence of TEderived regulatory RNAs in a species-rich family of bats. The TE-derived small RNAs are temporally associated with the burst of species diversification, suggesting that they may have been involved in the processes that led to the diversification. In this commentary, we expand on the ideas that were briefly touched upon in that manuscript. Specifically, we suggest avenues of research that may help to identify the roles that TEs may play in perturbing regulatory pathways. Such research endeavors may serve to inform evolutionary biologists of the ways that TEs have influenced the genomic and taxonomic diversity around us.
AB - While transposable elements (TE) have long been suspected of involvement in species diversification, identifying specific roles has been difficult. We recently found evidence of TEderived regulatory RNAs in a species-rich family of bats. The TE-derived small RNAs are temporally associated with the burst of species diversification, suggesting that they may have been involved in the processes that led to the diversification. In this commentary, we expand on the ideas that were briefly touched upon in that manuscript. Specifically, we suggest avenues of research that may help to identify the roles that TEs may play in perturbing regulatory pathways. Such research endeavors may serve to inform evolutionary biologists of the ways that TEs have influenced the genomic and taxonomic diversity around us.
KW - Evolution
KW - Genomics
KW - Small RNAs
KW - Transposable elements
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009445586&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/2159256X.2015.1066919
DO - 10.1080/2159256X.2015.1066919
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85009445586
SN - 2159-2543
VL - 5
SP - 63
EP - 66
JO - Mobile Genetic Elements
JF - Mobile Genetic Elements
IS - 5
ER -