Mobile Genetic Elements

Transposable elements (TEs)-DNA sequences that are capable of moving from one chromosome location to another-are found in all living organisms. They have been increasingly investigated in a wide spectrum of species, including bacteria, plants, fungi, and animals. In Mobile Genetic Elements: Protocols and Genomic Applications, leading experts describe in step-by-step detail their most productive transposon-based methods and strategies for studying genome structure, function, and evolution. These readily reproducible techniques cover a broad range, including mutagenesis, transgenesis, gene silencing, and molecular systematics. Among the highlights are a series of DNA hybridization methods for analyzing the distribution and dynamics of mobile DNA at the hosts' genomic level, techniques for studying LTR retrotransposons in heterologous host systems, and mutagenesis protocols for investigating gene functions in a broad range of organisms. Additional methods deal with highly informative sets of polymorphic markers, RNAi technology in gene silencing, and applications during transgenesis. The protocols presented follow the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, each one offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Stateoftheart and highly practical, Mobile Genetic Elements: Protocols and Genomic Applications offers investigators powerful genetic tools for dissecting the function of a specific gene, elaborating on the mechanisms leading to genetic change and diversity, and studying the evolutionary impact of mobile DNA on the biology and evolution of organisms.

Mobile Genetic Elements as Natural Tools for Genome Evolution Wolfgang J. Miller and Pierre Capy Detection of Transposable Elements in Drosophila Salivary Gland Polytene Chromosomes by In Situ Hybridization Christian Biemont, Laurence Monti-Dedieu, and Francoise Lemeunier Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization With Transposable Element Probes to Mitotic Chromosomal Heterochromatin of Drosophila Patrizio Dimitri Southern Blot Analysis of Individual Drosophila Flies Nikolaj Junakovic Computational Analysis of Transposable Element Sequences I. King Jordan and Nathan J. Bowen Biochemical Analysis of Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposons Andreas Bachmair, Karin Garber, Shin Takeda, Kazuhiko Sugimoto, Tetsuji Kakutani, and Hirohiko Hirochika Tn5 as a Molecular Genetics Tool: In Vitro Transposition and the Coupling of In Vitro Technologies With In Vivo Transposition William S. Reznikoff, Igor Y. Goryshin, and Jerry J. Jendrisak Gene Targeting in Drosophila Gregory B. Gloor TE-Based Mutagenesis Systems in Plants: A Gene Family Approach Michiel Vandenbussche and Tom Gerats The Use of Double-Stranded RNA to Knock Down Specific Gene Activity Mary K. Montgomery The Application of LTR Retrotransposons as Molecular Markers in Plants Alan H. Schulman, Andrew J. Flavell, and T. H. Noel Ellis MITE Display Alexandra M. Casa, Alexander Nagel, and Susan R. Wessler Retroposon Mapping in Molecular Systematics Norihiro Okada, Andrew M. Shedlock, and Masato Nikaido Transformation Systems in Insects David A. O´Brochta and Peter W. Atkinson Transposable Elements for Transgenesis and Insertional Mutagenesis in Vertebrates: A Contemporary Review of Experimental Strategies Zoltan Ivics and Zsuzsanna Izsvak Index