Alu Mobile Elements : From Junk DNA to Genomic Gems
Author
Source
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-11, 11 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-12-16
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
11
Main Subjects
Natural & Life Sciences (Multidisciplinary)
Diseases
Abstract EN
Alus, the short interspersed repeated sequences (SINEs), are retrotransposons that litter the human genomes and have long been considered junk DNA.
However, recent findings that these mobile elements are transcribed, both as distinct RNA polymerase III transcripts and as a part of RNA polymerase II transcripts, suggest biological functions and refute the notion that Alus are biologically unimportant.
Indeed, Alu RNAs have been shown to control mRNA processing at several levels, to have complex regulatory functions such as transcriptional repression and modulating alternative splicing and to cause a host of human genetic diseases.
Alu RNAs embedded in Pol II transcripts can promote evolution and proteome diversity, which further indicates that these mobile retroelements are in fact genomic gems rather than genomic junks.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Dridi, Sami. 2012. Alu Mobile Elements : From Junk DNA to Genomic Gems. Scientifica،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-11.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-480283
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Dridi, Sami. Alu Mobile Elements : From Junk DNA to Genomic Gems. Scientifica No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-11.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-480283
American Medical Association (AMA)
Dridi, Sami. Alu Mobile Elements : From Junk DNA to Genomic Gems. Scientifica. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-11.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-480283
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-480283