IDENTIFICATION OF SPLICED RNA SPECIES OF DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER GYPSY RETROTRANSPOSON - NEW EVIDENCE FOR RETROVIRAL NATURE OF THE GYPSY ELEMENT

We have identified a novel RNA species of Drosophila melanogaster gyps y retrotransposon that is ca. 2 kb in length and corresponds to the th ird open reading frame (ORF3) of the gypsy element. This RNA is genera ted by splicing of the primary gypsy transcript, as is the case for re troviral env gene expression. Therefore, the striking resemblance betw een gypsy and retroviruses has now been extended by this study to the expression strategies of these retroelements. The primary structure of spliced RNA was determined, and its analysis shows that both gypsy su bfamilies (6K and 7K) apparently are able to encode functionally activ e ORF3 translation products.