Recent transposition activity of Xenopus T2 family miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements

Mol Genet Genomics. 2011 Mar;285(3):219-24. doi: 10.1007/s00438-010-0599-3. Epub 2011 Jan 15.

Abstract

To investigate the recent transposition activity of T2 family miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) in Xenopus tropicalis (Western clawed frog), we analyzed the intraspecific polymorphisms associated with MITE insertion in X. tropicalis for three subfamilies of the T2 family (T2-A1, T2-C, and T2-E). A high frequency of MITE-insertion polymorphisms was observed at the T2-A1 (50%) and T2-C insertion loci (60%), but none were noted at the T2-E insertion locus (0%). Analyses of the collected data indicated that members of the T2-A1 and T2-C subfamilies may be currently active in the host species. Identification of these active transpositions will help us in understanding the mechanisms underlying the long-term survival (over several tens of millions of years) of the T2-A1 and T2-C subfamilies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA Transposable Elements / genetics*
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Inverted Repeat Sequences / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Xenopus / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA Transposable Elements