These terminal inverted repeats are characteristic for each element. In the case of the composite transposons like Tn9, the inverted repeats present at the end of each IS1 element result in the entire transposon also having inverted repeats present at the end of each IS1 element result in the entire transposon also having inverted repeats. One or more proteins essential in the recognition of the inverted repeat are encoded in the body of the element.

Stucture of a typical transposable element. The colored arrows indicate the terminal inverted repeats characteristics of each element. Note that Tn9 is a composite transposon derived from directly repeated IS1 elements. The black arrows indicate genes for proteins invoved in transposition (A and R) or antibiotic resistance. The Tn9 transposon is resistant to chloramphenicol (Cm),while the Tn3 element encodes resistant to ampicillin (Ap) and its dervative penicillin.

1. IS1 788 Nucleotides
2. Tn9 2500 Nucleotides
3. Tn3 4900 Nucleotides

Members of a widespread group of transposons, the Tn3 family, all have a similar structure and appear to move by a similar mechanism. Transposase, one protein encoded by the element, promotes the formation of intermediates called cointegrates, in which the element has been duplicated by replication. A second element encoded protein, resolvase, completes the cointegrates into the end products of transposition, a transposon inserted into a new site. A third protein encoded by the Tn3 element imparts resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin.
Transposons are known that encode resistances to almost all antibiotics as well as many toxic metals and chemical. In addition, some transposons have acquired the ability to direct the synthesis of proteins that metabolize carbohydrates, petroleum, and pesticides. Other transposable elements produce enterotoxins that cause travelers to become ill from drinking water contaminated with bacteria carrying the element. The broad spectrum of activities encoded by the transposable elements demonstrates the strong selective advantage that has accompanied their evolution.
The bacteriophage Mu (mutator) replicates itself in a mechanism that involves transposition into many sites in the host genome. In the process of high frequency transposition, the bacteriophage often mutates genes in the host organism. Other phages have adopted transposition like events for special purposes.
Transposable elements are not restricted to prokaryotes. Yeast as well As higher eukaryotes have DNA segments that move and cause mutations. In fact, the earliest models suggesting the existence of transposable DNA segments were based on genetic work by B. McClintock in the 1930s with corn plants. The eukaryotic elements have much in common with their prokaryotic elements have much in common with their prokaryotic counterparts: the termini of the elements are composed of inverted repeats, and many of the larger elements are composed of two small insertion sequence like regions flanking a unique central region. One class of eukaryotic virus, the ribonucleic acid (RNA) retrovirus, also has this structure and is thought to integrate into the host chromosome through a transposition like mechanism.

Translation
The process by which a protein is manufactured at a ribosome, using messenger RNA code and transfer RNA to supply the amino acids.