An Alu element is a short stretch of DNA originally characterized by the action of the Alu (Arthrobacter luteus) restriction endonuclease. Alu elements of different kinds occur in large numbers in primate genomes. In fact, Alu elements are the most abundant Transposable elements in the human genome. They are derived from the small cytoplasmic 7SL RNA, a component of the signal recognition particle. The event, when a copy of the 7SL RNA became a precursor of the Alu elements, took place in the genome of an ancestor of Supraprimates.
Alu insertions have been implicated in several inherited human diseases and in various forms of cancer.
The study of Alu elements has also been important in elucidating human population genetics and the evolution of primates, including the evolution of humans.
Read more about Alu Element: The Alu Family, 7SL RNA, Alu Elements, Impact of Alu in Humans, See Also
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