Molecules and Cells

Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology (한국분자세포생물학회)
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MMTS, a New Subfamily of Tc1-like Transposons

  • Ahn, Sang Jung (Department of Biotechnology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Kim, Moo-Sang (Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Jang, Jae Ho (Department of Biotechnology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Lim, Sang Uk (Department of Biotechnology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Lee, Hyung Ho (Department of Biotechnology, Pukyong National University)
  • Received : 2008.05.02
  • Accepted : 2008.07.01
  • Published : 2008.10.31
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Abstract

A novel Tc1-like transposable element has been identified as a new DNA transposon in the mud loach, Misgurnus mizolepis. The M. mizolepis Tc1-like transposon (MMTS) is comprised of inverted terminal repeats and a single gene that codes Tc1-like transposase. The deduced amino acid sequence of the transposase-encoding region of MMTS transposon contains motifs including DDE motif, which was previously recognized in other Tc1-like transposons. However, putative MMTS transposase has only 34-37% identity with well-known Tc1, PPTN, and S elements at the amino acid level. In dot-hybridization analysis used to measure the copy numbers of the MMTS transposon in genomes of the mud loach, it was shown that the MMTS transposon is present at about $3.36{\times}10^4$ copies per $2{\times}10^9$ bp, and accounts for approximately 0.027% of the mud loach genome. Here, we also describe novel MMTS-like transposons from the genomes of carp-like fishes, flatfish species, and cichlid fishes, which bear conserved inverted repeats flanking an apparently intact transposase gene. Additionally, BLAST searches and phylogenetic analysis indicated that MMTS-like transposons evolved uniquely in fishes, and comprise a new subfamily of Tc1-like transposons, with only modest similarity to Drosophila melanogaster (foldback element FB4, HB2, HB1), Xenopus laevis, Xenopus tropicalis, and Anopheles gambiae (Frisky).

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

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