Autonomous and non-autonomous transposons are two classifications of transposon, categorised by whether the transposon codes for the enzymes necessary for it to transpose.
This includes transposase (tnpA), an enzyme the catalyses the removal and insertion of the transposon into a new location.
Non-autonomous transposons require an autonomous, or activator, transposon to code for transposase in order for it to transpose. The Ac/Ds system, found in maize, are autonomous and non-autonomous transposons.
This contributes to the evolution of genomes by restricting when transposons can ‘jump’, requiring the activator (autonomous) transposon to jump first before a non-autonomous transposon is able to move, due to the requirement for transposase. Transposons can result in the inactivation of genes when they insert into them. This can contribute to evolution through the formation of pseudogenes. Transposons can replicate (if they are replicative), producing copies of themselves. Over time, these duplication events can build up and make up more of an organism’s genome.
SINEs (short interspersed elements) are a type of non-autonomous transposon, requiring LINEs (long interspersed nuclear elements) to function. This is through the same mechanism as the Ac/Ds system in maize, where the enzymes necessary for the SINE transposon to function are coded in LINEs.