Mode, tempo and functional consequences of transposable element mobilization in relation to mating systems

Transposable elements (TEs) are widely recognized as major contributors to genome evolution, yet the processes governing their accumulation remain elusive. Mating systems are expected to play a central role, but the net effect of the shift from outcrossing to selfing, which occurs commonly in plants, is not known. Here, we propose to determine the genomic landscape of recent TE insertions in the two outcrossing species Arabidopsis lyrata and A. halleri and to compare it to that of their selfing close relative A. thaliana as well as to that of North American A. lyrata populations that are currently experiencing a shift to selfing.