A transposon-like element in human DNA (original) (raw)

Nature volume 316, pages 359–361 (1985)Cite this article

Abstract

Mobile genetic elements have been reported in prokaryotes, plants, yeast and Drosophila (reviewed in refs 1, 2). The only transposonlike sequences reported for mammalian organisms are closely related to retroviruses3–7, although undoubtedly other transposon families exist within the mammalian genome. Although mobile genetic elements can only be identified as such if their mobility can be demonstrated in existing populations, transposon and transposon-like elements share several common biochemical and structural features1,2. Here we demonstrate that a repetitive human sequence has many of the diagnostic features of transposable elements. This 2.3-kilobase (kb) transposon-like element contains two flanking long terminal repeat (LTR)-like 350-base pair (bp) repetitive sequences, each of which begins with the sequence 5′ TG… and ends with …CA 3′. The transposon-like element is bounded by 5-bp direct repeats. Discrete-length polyadenylated transcripts from HeLa cells are homologous to the transposon-like element. Members of this transposon-like family are found in extrachromosomal circular DNA molecules.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Flavell, A. J. & Ish-Horowicz, D. Nature 292, 591–595 (1981).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  2. Temin, H. M. Cell 21, 599–600; 27, 1–3 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Varmus, H. E. Science 216, 812–820 (1982).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  4. Schmidt, M., Gloggler, K., Wirth, T. & Horak, I. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 6696–6700 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  5. Streck, R. E. Nature 298, 767–769 (1982).
    Article ADS Google Scholar
  6. Kuff, E. L. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 1992–1996 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Mager, D. L. & Henthorn, P. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 7510–7514 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  8. Sun, L., Paulson, K. E., Schmid, C. W., Kadyk, L. & Leinwand, L. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 2669–2690 (1984).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Elder, R. T., Loh, E. Y. & Davis, R. W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2432–2436 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  10. Flavell, A. J., Levis, R., Simon, M. A. & Rubin, G. M. Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 6279–6291 (1981).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  11. Rose, A. M. & Snutch, T. P. Nature 311, 485–486 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Krolewski, J. J. & Rush, M. G. J. molec. Biol 174, 31–40 (1984).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  13. Schindler, C. W. & Rush, M. G. J. molec. Biol. (in the press).
  14. Schmid, C. W. & Jelinek, W. R. Science 216, 1065–1070 (1982).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. Singer, M. F., Thayer, R. E., Grimaldi, G., Leeman, M. I. & Fanning, T. G. Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 5739–5745 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
    K. Eric Paulson, Niren Deka & Carl W. Schmid
  2. Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York City, New York, 10016, USA
    Ravi Misra, Christian W. Schindler & Mark G. Rush
  3. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, 10461, USA
    Lisa Kadyk & Leslie Leinwand

Authors

  1. K. Eric Paulson
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Niren Deka
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Carl W. Schmid
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. Ravi Misra
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. Christian W. Schindler
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  6. Mark G. Rush
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  7. Lisa Kadyk
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  8. Leslie Leinwand
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Paulson, K., Deka, N., Schmid, C. et al. A transposon-like element in human DNA.Nature 316, 359–361 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/316359a0

Download citation

This article is cited by