High-throughput sequencing, especially long-read sequencing, has demonstrated the prevalence of transposable elements in the eukaryotic genome. Transposons have the potential for deleterious effects, for example through introducing genomic instability, but also provide a route for genetic and epigenetic variability, probably playing a key role in adaptive evolution.
This Guest Edited Collection in BMC Genomics brings together this broad field to highlight the ubiquity and potential utility of these elements. We welcome submissions covering technology and software, evolutionary biology, application of transposons as genetic tools, mechanisms, embryonic development and disease. We bring all eukaryotes from unicellular organisms to multicellular plants and humans.