New Insights Into ‘Parasitic Genes’ Could Someday Help Combat Cancers, Aging-Related Diseases

Biologists at the University of California offer new understandings of entities called transposons that provide knowledge that could someday contribute to the fight against aging-related diseases and cancers.

These new insights are considered "parasitic genes," a Phys.org report specified. It added that even though they are composed of more than half of human DNA, much stays to be learned about them.

Unlike genes encoding proteins for humans to function, transposons are making proteins solely to copy their DNA and "insert its other elements," this report also said.

Grace Yuh Chwen Lee, the study leader and an assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, explained that these are "selfish parasites." She added that they perpetuate themselves and, most of the time, do not do anything for humans.

Transposons Variying Throughout Genomes

Nearly all species have transposons and have developed chemical adjustments that preempt their continued replication.

However, the percentage of transposons differs widely throughout genomes. It ranges from 50 percent in humans and 65 percent in salamanders to only six percent in puffer fish. The figure varies from two to 25 percent among different fruit flies.

The biologists at UCI sought to understand what has caused such a difference. Their inquiry stemmed from a previous study by Lee and colleagues demonstrating that those chemical changes stopping transposons from duplicating have what the team considers "nasty side effects."

Such chemical modifications themselves are spreading through neighboring genes and disrupt their functions.

Transposons Linked to Inherited Diseases

In the new investigation with results published in eLife, the study investigators discovered that the side effects differed in strength and harmfulness.

According to Lee, they found that over time, species whose side effects were particularly detrimental to adjacent genes experienced stronger selection that eliminated transposons. This led to a lower percentage of transposons in their genomes now.

Moreover, the team found too, that the variation in side effect severity may have originated from genes manufacturing and distributing the chemical modifications. The biologists are planning to explore this issue in future studies further.

Essentially, transposons have been associated with some rare inherited diseases. More recently, researchers have discovered they are stimulated in aging brains and certain cancer cells.

Potential for Future Treatments

A similar NewXpro report specified that, according to Lee, while their role in these respects remains unclear, "it may eventually be possible to develop treatments" by changing the genes that generate those chemical changes.

The study leader also said that they would also like to explore if considerations like diet and environment, known to influence how cells distribute the chemical modifications, impact transposons.

Yuheng Huang, a postdoctoral scholar, served as the paper's first author.

Related information about parasitic diseases is shown on Discovery UK's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Genetics in Science Times.