Featured Publications
Insights into RAG Evolution from the Identification of “Missing Link” Family A RAGL Transposons
Martin E, Le Targa L, Tsakou-Ngouafo L, Fan T, Lin C, Xiao J, Huang Z, Yuan S, Xu A, Su Y, Petrescu A, Pontarotti P, Schatz D. Insights into RAG Evolution from the Identification of “Missing Link” Family A RAGL Transposons. Molecular Biology And Evolution 2023, 40: msad232. PMID: 37850912, PMCID: PMC10629977, DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad232.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsJawed vertebratesTransposon familyRAG1-RAG2 recombinaseRecombination signal sequencesHemichordate Ptychodera flavaMolecular domesticationSignal sequenceP. flavaDNA bindingPtychodera flavaSequence featuresTransposition activityVertebratesTransposonCritical enzymeHinge regionGenomeDomesticationFlavaProteinPivotal stepAdaptive immunityCritical intermediateRAGRAGL
2016
Discovery of an Active RAG Transposon Illuminates the Origins of V(D)J Recombination
Huang S, Tao X, Yuan S, Zhang Y, Li P, Beilinson HA, Zhang Y, Yu W, Pontarotti P, Escriva H, Le Petillon Y, Liu X, Chen S, Schatz DG, Xu A. Discovery of an Active RAG Transposon Illuminates the Origins of V(D)J Recombination. Cell 2016, 166: 102-114. PMID: 27293192, PMCID: PMC5017859, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.05.032.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRAG transposonAntigen receptor gene assemblyBasal extant chordateDNA transposon familiesVertebrate adaptive immunityRecombination signal sequencesExtant chordatesTarget site duplicationsTransposable elementsDNA recombinationSignal sequenceTransposon excisionGene assemblyProtoRAGTransposon familySite duplicationsCrucial eventTransposonRecombinationAdaptive immunityChordatesTIRLanceletsRAG1/2Germline