Explanation

Mobile genetic element is broadly any genetic element capable of moving itself, with or without duplication, from one site in a genome to another. Mobile genetic elements include plasmids, viruses, transposable genetic elements (transposons), short interspread elements, pathogenicity islands and so on. The term ‘transposon’ was introduced by R W Hedges and A E Jacob in 1974, to ‘controlling’ elements’ or jumping genes, discovered by Barbara McClintock (1950) in maize.