The Relationship between Transposons and Transcription Factors in the Evolution of Eukaryotes

Abstract

Transposons are important sources of binding sites for transcription factors whose specific activation characterizes the embryonic development of animals. In the evolution of eukaryotes, molecular domestication of the mobile genetic elements led to the emergence of multiple novel proteins, including the transcription factors involved in the control over cell differentiation. Transposons are presented abundantly in intergenic DNA, introns and 3’-untranslated regions, specifically, near the genes of the transcription factors which they regulate. This promotes gene interregulation via transposon activation by the products of their expression in consecutive divisions of stem cells, thus representing a dynamic biological encoding of the species-specific ontogenetic regulation. This program can be implemented due to tissue- and stage-specific regulation mediated by the presence of transposons at certain genomic sites. The crucial role of domesticated transposon genes in controlling genome operation and key developmental stages provides a sound argument in favor of this assumption.