UC Berkeley

P transposable elements are one of the best-studied eukaryotic mobile DNA elements in metazoans. These elements were initially discovered in the late 1960's because they cause a syndrome of genetic traits termed hybrid dysgenesis [1]. The molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of the P element transposition reaction have led to general insights regarding eukaryotic cut-and-paste-transposition. P elements have also facilitated many applications as genetic tools for molecular genetics in Drosophila.