Mobile genetic elements

Mobile genetic elements in the Cell (left) and the ways they can be acquired (right).

Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are a type of genetic materials that can move around within a genome, or that can be transferred from one species or replicon to another. MGEs are found in all organisms. Gene duplication events can also happen through the mechanism of MGEs. MGEs can also cause mutations in protein coding regions, which alters the protein functions. In addition, they can also rearrange genes in the host genome. MGEs can decrease fitness by introducing disease-causing alleles or mutations.

See also

• Horizontal gene transfer