Transposable Elements Direct The Coevolution between Plants and Microbes.

Michael F Seidl, Bart P H J Thomma

Journal: Trends in genetics : TIG 2018;33(11):842-851

PMID: 28800915

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Transposable elements are powerful drivers of genome evolution in many eukaryotes. Although they are mostly considered as 'selfish' genetic elements, increasing evidence suggests that they contribute to genetic variability; particularly under stress conditions. Over the past few years, the role of transposable elements during host-microbe interactions has been recognised. It has been proposed that many pathogenic microbes have evolved a 'two-speed' genome with regions that show increased variability and that are enriched in transposable elements and pathogenicity-related genes. Plants similarly display structured genomes with transposable-element-rich regions that mediate accelerated evolution. Immune receptor genes typically reside in such regions. Various mechanisms have recently been identified through which transposable elements contribute to the coevolution between plants and their associated microbes.

Address: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; Both authors contributed equally. Electronic address: [email protected].; Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; Both authors contributed equally. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2017.07.003