Genomic characterization of recent human LINE-1 insertions: evidence supporting random insertion.

ABSTRACT: LINE-1 (L1) elements play an important creative role in genomic evolution by distributing both L1 and non-L1 DNA in a process called retrotransposition. A large percentage of the human genome consists of DNA that has been dispersed by the L1 transposition machinery. L1 elements are not randomly distributed in genomic DNA but are concentrated in regions with lower GC content. In an effort to understand the consequences of L1 insertions, we have begun an investigation of their genomic characteristics and the changes that occur to them over time. We compare human L1 insertions that were created either during recent human evolution or during the primate radiation. We report that L1 insertions are an important source for the creation of new microsatellites. We provide evidence that L1 first str

SUBMITTER: Ovchinnikov I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC311227 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature