Scientists at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of genomics. Their research, published in Cell Genomics, sheds light on the mysterious behavior of transposable elements (TEs) within the human genome.

TEs are segments of DNA that have the ability to move within the genome, potentially causing mutations and altering genetic profiles. They also play a crucial role in organizing and expressing the genome. Despite their significance, TEs have been challenging to detect and track due to their tendency to degenerate over time, making them less recognizable.

However, the researchers at EPFL have devised a novel approach to overcome this obstacle. By utilizing reconstructed ancestral genomes from various species as a genomic ‘time machine,’ they were able to identify degenerate TEs in the human genome that had previously gone undetected.

Comparing the human genome with the reconstructed ancestral genomes enabled the scientists to uncover a larger number of TEs than previously known. This discovery has significantly expanded our understanding of the role TEs play in our genetic makeup. Notably, the study revealed that these newly identified TE sequences still serve the same regulatory functions as their more recent counterparts.

The implications of this research are far-reaching. A deeper understanding of TEs and their regulatory mechanisms could provide valuable insights into human diseases, many of which are believed to be influenced by genetic factors.