Transposition and target preferences of an active nonautonomous DNA transposon nDart1 and its relatives belonging to the hAT superfamily in rice

Mol Genet Genomics. 2010 Nov;284(5):343-55. doi: 10.1007/s00438-010-0569-9. Epub 2010 Sep 10.

Abstract

The nonautonomous nDart1 element in the hAT superfamily is one of a few active DNA transposons in rice. Its transposition can be induced by crossing with a line containing an active autonomous element, aDart1, and stabilized by segregating aDart1. No somaclonal variation should occur in nDart1-promoted gene tagging because no tissue culture is involved in nDart1 activation. By transposon display analysis, we examined the activities of nDart1-related elements in the selfed progeny of a mutable virescent pyl-v plant containing aDart1. Although various nDart1-related elements are present in the rice genome, only nDart1-3 subgroup elements, nDart1-0 and nDart1-3 in particular, were found to be transposed frequently and integrated into various sites almost all over the genome, and a fraction of the transposed elements were found to be transmitted to the next generation. More than half of the newly integrated elements were identified as nDart1-0. Analysis of the newly inserted sites revealed that the nDart1-3 subgroup elements were predominantly integrated into single-copy regions. More than 60% of the transposed elements were inserted into the genic regions that comprise putative coding regions and their 0.5-kb flanking segments, and approximately two-thirds of them were within the 0.5-kb area in front of the putative initiation codons, i.e., promoter-proximal genic regions. These characteristic features of nDart1-3 subgroup elements seem to be suitable for developing an efficient and somaclonal variation-free gene tagging system for rice functional genomics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromosomes, Plant
  • DNA Transposable Elements*
  • DNA, Plant / genetics*
  • Genome, Plant
  • Oryza / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA, Plant