The nature of unstable insertion mutations and reversions in the locus cut of Drosophila melanogaster: molecular mechanism of transposition memory (original) (raw)

Abstract

The segment of the locus cut containing the mobile genetic element mdg4 (gypsy) insertions which induce unstable _ct_MR2 and _ct_MRpN10 mutations has been cloned. Both mutations depend on the insertion of mdg4 into the same sequence, which coincides with that in _ct_6 allele. The _ct_MRpN10 mutation differs from _ct_MR2 by additional insertion of a novel mobile element jockey into mdg4. Jockey is 2.8 kb long, represented by ˜2–100 copies per genome, very homogeneous and lacks long terminal repeats (LTRs). The excision of mdg4 takes place in stable ct+ reversions. On the other hand, a complete single LTR is retained in the case of unstable ct reversions characterized by a high level of reverse directed transpositions of mdg4 into the locus cut. The LTR serves as a guide for reinsertion of mdg4 itself or mdg4 with jockey into the same site of the genome. A possible mechanism of transposition memory (homologous recombination with extrachromosomal circular DNA) is discussed.

Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster, cut locus, jocky, mdg4 (gypsy), transposition explosions, transposition memory, unstable mutations and reversions

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