Rotifer rDNA-specific R9 retrotransposable elements generate an exceptionally long target site duplication upon insertion
Rotifer rDNA-specific R9 retrotransposable elements generate an exceptionally long target site duplication upon insertion
Date
2009-08
Authors
Gladyshev, Eugene A.
Arkhipova, Irina R.
Arkhipova, Irina R.
Linked Authors
Alternative Title
Citable URI
As Published
Date Created
Location
DOI
Related Materials
Replaces
Replaced By
Keywords
Bdelloid rotifers
Ribosomal insertions
28S rDNA
Non-LTR retrotransposons
Ribosomal insertions
28S rDNA
Non-LTR retrotransposons
Abstract
Ribosomal DNA genes in many eukaryotes contain insertions of non-LTR
retrotransposable elements belonging to the R2 clade. These elements persist in
the host genomes by inserting site-specifically into multicopy target sites, thereby
avoiding random disruption of single-copy host genes. Here we describe R9
retrotransposons from the R2 clade in the 28S RNA genes of bdelloid rotifers,
small freshwater invertebrate animals best known for their long-term asexuality
and for their ability to survive repeated cycles of desiccation and rehydration.
While the structural organization of R9 elements is highly similar to that of other
members of the R2 clade, they are characterized by two distinct features: sitespecific
insertion into a previously unreported target sequence within the 28S
gene, and an unusually long target site duplication of 126 bp. We discuss the
implications of these findings in the context of bdelloid genome organization and
the mechanisms of target-primed reverse transcription.
Description
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Gene 448 (2009): 145-150, doi:10.1016/j.gene.2009.08.016.