Background
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including introns, retroelements, and inteins are present in all
domains of life. These elements, traditionally considered molecular parasites, reshape genomes and
drive evolution. Their non-random distribution within host genomes and acquired responses
to environmental cues force a rethinking of MGEs as simple parasites. Thought provoking questions
have been raised about the possible importance of these elements to the host organisms they invade.
Recent experiments suggest that nature has repurposed these MGEs with spectacular results,
leading to such evolutionary marvels as spliceosomal introns, telomerases, and hedgehog signaling.
These mobile elements have also proven exceptionally useful to biotechnologists, leading to the
development of ground-breaking technologies in genome manipulation, next-generation sequencing,
protein engineering, and synthetic biology.
Goal
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a contemporary perspective on the numerous areas of
interest regarding the biological importance of MGEs to the hosts they invade. Further, this
collection will cover exciting recent advances in the field, including our understanding of the
evolutionary repurposing of MGEs, as well as intriguing evidence of the role of MGEs as adaptive
stress sensors. Finally, self-splicing introns, inteins and homologous elements in “hedgehog” family
proteins possess the unique ability to perform chemistries that have proved invaluable to numerous
biotechnological advances, the impact of which has been and continues to be profound. This
Research Topic will seek to highlight new and exciting applications of these elements by
biotechnologies.
Scope and information for Authors
The scope of this Research Topic will cover several exciting aspects of self-splicing microbial MGEs. These may include, but are not limited to:
• Transposon-encoded CRISPR-Cas systems
• Evolutionary history and distribution of introns and inteins in host genomes
• Evolutionary repurposing of retroelements in higher eukaryotes
• Evolutionary repurposing of introns in higher eukaryotes
• Evolutionary repurposing of inteins as protein-sterol ligases in higher eukaryotes
• Introns and inteins as adaptive environmental stress sensors
• Applications of introns in genome engineering and next-generation sequencing
• Applications of intron- and intein-encoded proteins in genome engineering
• Applications of inteins and hedgehog proteins in protein engineering and chemical biology
• Inteins and related forms of protein autoprocessing as drug targets
A wide range of manuscript formats will be considered, including original research, brief research reports, methods, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, general commentary, and hypotheses.
Background
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including introns, retroelements, and inteins are present in all
domains of life. These elements, traditionally considered molecular parasites, reshape genomes and
drive evolution. Their non-random distribution within host genomes and acquired responses
to environmental cues force a rethinking of MGEs as simple parasites. Thought provoking questions
have been raised about the possible importance of these elements to the host organisms they invade.
Recent experiments suggest that nature has repurposed these MGEs with spectacular results,
leading to such evolutionary marvels as spliceosomal introns, telomerases, and hedgehog signaling.
These mobile elements have also proven exceptionally useful to biotechnologists, leading to the
development of ground-breaking technologies in genome manipulation, next-generation sequencing,
protein engineering, and synthetic biology.
Goal
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a contemporary perspective on the numerous areas of
interest regarding the biological importance of MGEs to the hosts they invade. Further, this
collection will cover exciting recent advances in the field, including our understanding of the
evolutionary repurposing of MGEs, as well as intriguing evidence of the role of MGEs as adaptive
stress sensors. Finally, self-splicing introns, inteins and homologous elements in “hedgehog” family
proteins possess the unique ability to perform chemistries that have proved invaluable to numerous
biotechnological advances, the impact of which has been and continues to be profound. This
Research Topic will seek to highlight new and exciting applications of these elements by
biotechnologies.
Scope and information for Authors
The scope of this Research Topic will cover several exciting aspects of self-splicing microbial MGEs. These may include, but are not limited to:
• Transposon-encoded CRISPR-Cas systems
• Evolutionary history and distribution of introns and inteins in host genomes
• Evolutionary repurposing of retroelements in higher eukaryotes
• Evolutionary repurposing of introns in higher eukaryotes
• Evolutionary repurposing of inteins as protein-sterol ligases in higher eukaryotes
• Introns and inteins as adaptive environmental stress sensors
• Applications of introns in genome engineering and next-generation sequencing
• Applications of intron- and intein-encoded proteins in genome engineering
• Applications of inteins and hedgehog proteins in protein engineering and chemical biology
• Inteins and related forms of protein autoprocessing as drug targets
A wide range of manuscript formats will be considered, including original research, brief research reports, methods, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, general commentary, and hypotheses.