Regulation of transposable elements in maize

► Analysis of active TEs in maize have contributed significantly to our understanding of the ways in which TE silencing can be initiated. ► Rearrangements of TEs can result in the production of RNA silencing triggers that that act in trans to cause heritable epigenetic silencing of otherwise active elements. ► TE silencing is a carefully choreographed process that involves distinct epigenetic programs operating in distinct tissues. ► Somatic tissues may be used by plants to gather information concerning potentially dangerous TEs in the genome.