INTRAGENOMIC DISTRIBUTION AND STABILITY OF TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS IN EUCHROMATIN AND HETEROCHROMATIN OF DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER - NON-LTR RETROTRANSPOSON

The intragenomic location of the elements of the I, G, jockey, F, and Doc transposon families has been studied by the Southern blot analysis , in 12 laboratory Drosophila melanogaster stocks. Elements located in euchromatin, heterochromatin, and on the Y chromosome are identified, and their stability has been assessed by comparing the autoradiograph s detected in different stocks and analysis of individual flies, Evide nce is shown suggesting that preferential location in euchromatin or h eterochromatin and the distribution within heterochromatin are distinc tive of transposon families. Elements located in heterochromatin can b e unstable. These results are discussed in the context of the relation ship between transposable elements and the host genome.