Researchers adapted a fast sequence-alignment method to find and group LTR retrotransposons, repeating DNA that copies itself through RNA. Their pipeline compresses other repeats, tracks locations, and works across more than 500 vertebrate genomes.
The method separates different kinds of repeats, so nested insertions do not get hidden. It can also compare which retrotransposon families different species share, helping researchers trace how these DNA elements spread and identify possible cases of movement between species.
✦ Clearer repeat maps can reveal how mobile DNA moves through evolution.