Hyperactive MuA Transposases & Tools for Transposon Mutagenesis

Transposable elements, or transposons, are DNA segments that have the ability to move from one location on the genome to another. They have been widely used for investigating and manipulating genes and genomes of prokaryotes, plants, invertebrates, and recently also vertebrates. Transposons are extremely suitable for several different purposes, as the DNA between the transposon ends can be of any origin and can include useful features such as selectable markers, unique primer binding sites, reporter functions (such as the gene for β-galactosidase), plasmid origins of replication, and controlling elements (such as regulated promoters).

What makes Mu transposons great for genetic research?

The minimal Mu transposition system displays high transposition frequency and relatively low target-site selectivity, and these features make it ideal for a variety of applications. Mu transposons have been used for DNA sequencing, protein engineering for structure/function studies, genome-wide functional mapping of virus genomes, construction of gene targeting vectors, insertional mutagenesis of archaea, and SNP discovery. Mu transposons have also been used for highly efficient, species-non-specific gene delivery and insertional mutagenesis, as demonstrated with a variety of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells. Read more about the current applications for Mu in vitro transposition technology here.