Thomas E. Bureau, McGill University
Associate Professor
Biology
Montreal, Quebec
thomas.bureau@mcgill.ca
Office:
(514) 398-6472
Expert In
Bio/Research
Though transposons make up a large fraction of almost all eukaryotic genomes, until recently little was known concerning their role in host evolution. Our research has established that transposons can in fact interact or contribute to the host gene repertoire. For example, DNA transposons can acq...
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Bio/Research
Though transposons make up a large fraction of almost all eukaryotic genomes, until recently little was known concerning their role in host evolution. Our research has established that transposons can in fact interact or contribute to the host gene repertoire. For example, DNA transposons can acquire gene fragments in a process called transduplication.
Though the vast majority of detectable transduplication events result in pseudogene formation, some appear to be transcribed (non-coding RNA genes) and even rarely be part of novel protein-coding genes. In the latter case, the persistence of host conserve domains within transposons suggests that transduplication events may have profound element-specific selective advantage. Transposons can also abandon their mobile lifestyle and be so-called domesticated by their host.
We are profiling domesticated transposons to pinpoint the genomic signatures of domesticated transposons. Far from being the odd one-off, domestication of transposons appears to be frequent events.
To uncover their elusive functional role, we are characterized the suites of domesticated transposons from several model plant and other eukaryotic species. These results not only suggest they have a function and are bona fide “host genes” but also that they play a fundamentally important role in development and evolution.
We are using cutting-edge genomics protocols to uncover functionally and agronomically important regions within the so-called non-coding regions of plant genomes.
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Though the vast majority of detectable transduplication events result in pseudogene formation, some appear to be transcribed (non-coding RNA genes) and even rarely be part of novel protein-coding genes. In the latter case, the persistence of host conserve domains within transposons suggests that transduplication events may have profound element-specific selective advantage. Transposons can also abandon their mobile lifestyle and be so-called domesticated by their host.
We are profiling domesticated transposons to pinpoint the genomic signatures of domesticated transposons. Far from being the odd one-off, domestication of transposons appears to be frequent events.
To uncover their elusive functional role, we are characterized the suites of domesticated transposons from several model plant and other eukaryotic species. These results not only suggest they have a function and are bona fide “host genes” but also that they play a fundamentally important role in development and evolution.
We are using cutting-edge genomics protocols to uncover functionally and agronomically important regions within the so-called non-coding regions of plant genomes.
Click to Shrink <<