Viral infection impacts transposable element transcript amounts in Drosophila

What is it about?

Transposable elements are genomic parasites that are able to move and multiply along chromosomes. They are found in all organisms and occupy half of the human genome, notably. When they transpose, they cause mutations, that may be deleterious or at the source of genetic innovation. The activity of transposable elements is not constant over time. It is known that certain factors such as stress can trigger transposition ; however, the understanding of the dynamics of these sequences within genomes is still only partial. Here we show that viral infections are a new factor at the origin of the modulation of transposable element activity. Indeed, using different strains of Drosophila and the Sindbis arbovirus, it appears that transposable element transcript amounts –which are necessary for transposition– vary upon infection. These modulations are mediated by RNA interference pathways, which are involved in the antiviral response of Drosophila.

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Why is it important?

Considering that viral infections impact transposable element activity, these results suggest that they may play a role in modulating the speed of genome evolution.