Population dynamics of Transposable Elements

The interaction between Transposable Elements (TEs) and their hosts is the most intricate co-evolutionary process found in nature. TEs are DNA fragments that move and duplicate through genomes, sometimes inserting within or near genes. TEs are broadly classified into two classes: class I elements (or retrotransposons), which are mobilized by the reverse-transcription of an RNA intermediate, and class II elements (DNA transposons), which use a DNA intermediate.

Explaining the processes behind TE spread and extinction is crucial to understand their dynamics and impact on the host. Most studies have focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying TE insertion, replication and control by the host. For the last 40 years, while the mechanisms controlling the activity and copy number of TEs have been investigated at macroevolutionary scales, their microevolutionary dynamic has been understudied using the tools and datasets of the genomic era.

I am using population genomics and phylogenetic methods to obtain a more nuanced view of their impact on the host’s fitness.