
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Mobilome
Introduction
The mobilome is the total of all mobile genetic elements in a genome. Elements that can move within the genome (transposable elements) are the major constitients of the mobilome in eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, however, mobile genetic elements that can move between genomes, like prophages and plasmids, are also an important part of the mobilome.
References
- Barkay, T. and Smets, B.F. 2005. Horizontal gene flow in microbial communities. ASM News 71: 412-419.
- Frost, L.S. et al., 2005. Mobile genetic elements: the agents of open source evolution. Nat. Rev. of Microbiology 3: 722-732.
