What is the Difference Between Transposon and Retrotransposon?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Transposons and retrotransposons are both mobile genetic elements that can move within a genome, but they differ in their mechanisms of movement and their classification. Here are the key differences between them:
- Mechanism of movement: DNA transposons move using a cut-and-paste mechanism, while retrotransposons move using a copy-and-paste mechanism. In the case of retrotransposons, an RNA intermediate is involved in the duplication of the element into a new genomic location.
- Classification: DNA transposons belong to class II transposable elements, whereas retrotransposons belong to class I transposable elements.
- Types of retrotransposons: Retrotransposons include short interspersed elements (SINEs), long interspersed elements (LINES), and human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). Alu elements and short interspersed element/variable number of tandem repeats/Alu (SVA) elements are examples of SINEs in primates.
Retrotransposons generally increase their copy number more rapidly than DNA transposons. Both types of mobile genetic elements can cause genomic differences between species and have been found to rearrange human and non-human primate genomes through various mechanisms, such as de novo TE insertion, TE insertion-mediated deletion, and homologous recombination between them.
Comparative Table: Transposon vs Retrotransposon
Here is a table comparing the differences between transposons and retrotransposons:
| Feature | Transposons | Retrotransposons |
|---|---|---|
| Mobilization | Cut-and-paste mechanism | Copy-and-paste mechanism |
| RNA Intermediate | None | Present, involved in transposition |
| Reverse Transcription | Not involved | Involved, using an RNA intermediate |
| Genome Location | Found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes | Found only in eukaryotes |
| Transposition | DNA transposase enzyme involved | Reverse transcriptase enzyme involved |
| Examples | DNA transposons and class II transposable elements | Retrotransposons with long terminal repeats (LTRs), long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) |
Transposons move using a cut-and-paste mechanism, while retrotransposons move using a copy-and-paste mechanism by duplicating the element into a new genomic location. Retrotransposons involve an RNA intermediate, which is transcribed back into DNA, and utilize a reverse transcriptase enzyme for this process. Transposons, on the other hand, do not require an RNA intermediate and use a DNA transposase enzyme for their transposition. Retrotransposons are found only in eukaryotes, whereas transposons are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
- DNA Transposons vs Retrotransposons
- Plasmid vs Transposon
- Bacterial Transposases vs Retroviral Integrases
- LTR vs Non-LTR Retrotransposons
- Composite vs Non Composite Transposons
- Transfection vs Transduction
- Composite Transposons vs IS Elements
- Transcription vs Reverse Transcription
- Provirus vs Retrovirus
- Retrovirus vs Virus
- Lentivirus vs Retrovirus
- Cisgenesis vs Transgenesis
- Transformation vs Transfection
- Retrovirus vs Bacteriophage
- Transition vs Transversion
- Replication vs Transcription
- RNA Viruses vs Retroviruses
- Adenovirus vs Retrovirus
- Transformation vs Transduction