Host Gene Regulation by Transposable Elements: The New, the Old and the Ugly

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 12; no. 10; p. 1089
• Main Authors: Enriquez-Gasca, Rocio, Gould, Poppy A., Rowe, Helen M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26.09.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: coevolution; DNA methylation; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; endogenous retroviruses; Endogenous Retroviruses - genetics; Enhancers; Epigenesis, Genetic - genetics; epigenetic repression; Epigenetics; Evolutionary genetics; Gene expression; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation - genetics; Gene regulation; genes; Genomes; germ cells; Humans; Intracisternal A-type particle elements; Isoforms; Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements - genetics; Open reading frames; Pathogens; position-effect variegation; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Proteins; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid - genetics; Retroviridae; Review; Stem cells; transposable elements; transposons; KRAB-associated protein 1; endogenous retroviruses; gene regulation; X chromosome inactivation; epigenetic repression; genomic imprinting; transposable elements; Intracisternal A-type particle elements; position-effect variegation
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v12101089

The human genome has been under selective pressure to evolve in response to emerging pathogens and other environmental challenges. Genome evolution includes the acquisition of new genes or new isoforms of genes and changes to gene expression patterns. One source of genome innovation is from transposable elements (TEs), which carry their own promoters, enhancers and open reading frames and can act as ‘controlling elements’ for our own genes. TEs include LINE-1 elements, which can retrotranspose intracellularly and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) that represent remnants of past retroviral germline infections. Although once pathogens, ERVs also represent an enticing source of incoming genetic material that the host can then repurpose. ERVs and other TEs have coevolved with host genes for millions of years, which has allowed them to become embedded within essential gene expression programmes. Intriguingly, these host genes are often subject to the same epigenetic control mechanisms that evolved to combat the TEs that now regulate them. Here, we illustrate the breadth of host gene regulation through TEs by focusing on examples of young (The New), ancient (The Old), and disease-causing (The Ugly) TE integrants.