Double helix showing coplanar alignment of standard base pairs.WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, MUSHII
Within the human genome, small DNA elements called retrotransposons have the potential to wreak mutational havoc by copying themselves and reinserting into the genome at multiple locations. Normal adult cells have suppressive mechanisms to stop these elements from jumping about, but according to a report published today (June 28) in Science, those mechanisms can break down in certain cancers. The findings suggest that, in some cases, jumping genes might even cause cancer or contribute to its progression
“The paper is very important,” said Keith Slotkin a molecular geneticist at Ohio State University in Columbus, who did not participate in the study. “There has long been a weak association between cancer and transposable element activity, but this paper now categorically shows that transposable element activation is ...
