Hiker, a new family of DNA transposons encoding transposases with DD35E motifs, displays a distinct phylogenetic relationship with most known DNA transposon families of IS630-Tc1-mariner (ITm).

DNA transposons play a crucial role in determining the size and structure of eukaryotic genomes. In this study, a new family of IS630-Tc1-mariner (ITm) DNA transposons, named Hiker (HK), was identified. HK is characterized by a DD35E catalytic domain and is distinct from all previously known families of the ITm group.