Previously, these jumping genes were thought to be mostly dormant in human genomes. However, research shows that some L1 genes can be activated in normal cells, leading to the accumulation of genomic mutations over time.
The rate of L1 jumps and consequent genomic changes varies in different cell types, with a higher concentration being observed in older colonic epithelial cells. Surprisingly, research shows that by age 40, every colonic epithelial cell experiences, on average, at least one L1 jump event.
The study analyzed entire genomic sequences from individual cells from the skin, blood, and epithelial tissues of the colon of 28 people.
They also found that most epigenetic imbalances occur early in embryogenesis.
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Source: Ferra
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