ABSTRACT
Hookworms are intestinal nematode parasites of humans and other mammals, and are responsible for considerable morbidity in populations living in many developing countries. Several mobile genetic elements have been characterized from hookworm genomes. The structure and phylogenetic relationships of these characterized elements is reviewed here. The genome of dog hookworm Ancylostoma caninum , a model for the human hookworms A. duodenale and Necator americanus, includes at least two transposons, bandit 2n d a transib element, and non-LTR retrotransposons known as dingo elements. The bandit transposon is a mariner-like element, the transib element is related to transib-e\emenxs involved in V(D)J recombination in vertebrate adaptive immunity, and the dingo elements are clade RTE non-LTR retrotransposons. It is likely that numerous other mobile genetic elements have colonized the hookworm genome. We anticipate that the information of these elements re viewed here from A. caninum will provide a bridgehead for research into the larger comple ment of mobile genetic elements and other repetitive sequences that have colonized the ge nomes of the human hookworm species and other hookworms.
