TnCentral

TnCentral provides a curated database of approximately 400 annotated prokaryotic transposable elements, including Tn3, Tn7, Tn402, Tn554 families, compound transposons, integrons, and insertion sequences, with annotations of transposition genes, passenger genes, and other sequence features relevant to transposition.

Key Features:

• Detailed annotations: Individual TE entries include annotations of transposition genes, passenger genes, and other sequence features, plus graphical maps of relevant elements.
• Search capabilities: The resource supports text-based and sequence-based searches with graphical presentation of search results.
• Software tools: Downloadable software is provided to assist identification and manual annotation of various types of transposable elements within genomic sequences.
• TnPedia (educational resource): A compendium of comprehensive reviews covering major TE families with sections on insertion sequences and transposon families.

Scientific Applications:

• Bacterial evolution and adaptation: Enables comparative analysis of TE content and structure to study mechanisms of genomic change in bacteria.
• Antibiotic and heavy metal resistance studies: Provides data on passenger genes and mobile elements relevant to acquisition and dissemination of resistance determinants.
• Plant pathogenesis research: Supports investigation of TE-associated factors implicated in bacterial plant pathogens.
• Microbial genetics and environmental microbiology: Facilitates analysis of transposable elements' roles in genetic mobility and environmental adaptation.

Methodology:

Curated annotation of ~400 TEs; text-based and sequence-based searches; graphical mapping of element features; downloadable software for TE identification and manual annotation in genomic sequences.