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JUMPING GENES. “A transposable element (TE or transposon) is a DNA sequence that can change its position within the genome, sometimes creating or reversing mutations and altering the cell’s genome size." (TEs = jumping genes) https://lnkd.in/eVPv65H View in LinkedIn

ANCIENT MACHINERY. "Most of the DNA in our human genome is composed of largely but not completely, inactive copies of three distinct classes of transposable element, sequences of DNA that have accumulated over millions of years and keep replicating." https://lnkd.in/eVPv65H View in LinkedIn

"INTRONS are non-coding sections of a gene, transcribed into the precursor mRNA sequence, but ultimately removed by RNA splicing during the processing to mature messenger RNA. Many introns appear to be mobile genetic elements." https://lnkd.in/en2PVZm View in LinkedIn

"MOBILE GENETIC ELEMENTS (MGE) are a type of DNA that can move around within the genome. They include: Transposons (also called transposable elements); Retrotransposons; DNA transposons; Insertion sequences; Plasmids. The total of all mobile genetic elements in a genome may be referred to as the mobilome. Barbara McClintock was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements"." https://lnkd.in/eBfMrTY View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS this weekend's excision into the inflammasome, to be continued next weekend. The structural similarity to the apoptosome is remarkable, as well as their central role in maintaining cell health. Evolution twice independently invented similar molecular machinery to service these critical roles. View in LinkedIn

STRUCTURAL SUBTYPES. "So far, six or possibly eight inflammasome subtypes have been identified. Their main, but by no means exclusive, function is to catalyze conversion of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 into their respective mature forms." https://lnkd.in/eNNPn5D View in LinkedIn

COORDINATION. "We discuss the complex regulatory mechanisms that facilitate a balanced but effective inflammasome-mediated immune response, and we highlight the similarities to another molecular signalling platform — the apoptosome — that monitors cellular health." https://lnkd.in/eSuQQy4 View in LinkedIn

ASSEMBLY OF THE INFLAMMASOME. "The inflammasomes aggregate to generate supramolecular structures akin to those made by the apoptosome, i.e., wheel-shaped pentameric/heptameric complexes of MW in the 500- to 700-kDa range." https://lnkd.in/eNNPn5D View in LinkedIn

NEW TRANSPOSONS. "Eukaryotes contain numerous transposable or mobile elements capable of parasite-like proliferation in the host genome. All known transposable elements in eukaryotes belong to two types: retrotransposons and DNA transposons. Here we report a previously uncharacterized class of DNA transposons called Polintons that populate genomes of protists, fungi, and animals." (2015). https://lnkd.in/evfenaM View in LinkedIn

STRUCTURALLY SIMILAR. Apoptosome and inflammasome are both multimeric protein complexes that mediate the activation of specific caspases upon the onset of apoptosis and inflammation respectively. The central component of apoptosome or inflammasome is a tripartite scaffold protein. https://lnkd.in/eF74yds View in LinkedIn