HERMES, A FUNCTIONAL NON-DROSOPHILID INSECT GENE VECTOR FROM MUSCA-DOMESTICA

Hermes is a short inverted repeat-type transposable element from the h ouse fly, Musca domestica. Using an extra-chromosomal transpositional recombination assay, we show that Hermes elements can accurately trans pose in M. domestica embryos. To test the ability of Hermes to functio n in species distantly related to M. domestica we used a nonautonomous Hermes element containing the Drosophila melanogaster white (w(+)) ge ne and created D. melanogaster germline transformants. Transgenic G(1) insects were recovered from 34.6% of the fertile G(0) adults developi ng from microinjected w(-) embryos. This transformation rate is compar able with that observed using Por hobo vectors in D. melanogaster, how ever, many instances of multiple-element insertions and large clusters were observed. Genetic mapping, Southern blotting, polytene chromosom e in situ hybridization and DNA sequence analyses confirmed that Herme s elements were chromosomally integrated in transgenic insects. Our da ta demonstrate that Hermes elements transpose at high rates in D. mela nogaster and may be an effective gene vector and gene-tagging agent in this species and distantly related species of medical and agricultura l importance.