A novel active L1 retrotransposon subfamily in the mouse

Citation
Jl. Goodier et al., A novel active L1 retrotransposon subfamily in the mouse, GENOME RES, 11(10), 2001, pp. 1677-1685
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Molecular Biology & Genetics
Journal title
GENOME RESEARCH
ISSN journal
10889051 → ACNP
Volume
11
Issue
10
Year of publication
2001
Pages
1677 - 1685
Database
ISI
SICI code
1088-9051(200110)11:10<1677:ANALRS>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
Unlike human Ll retrotransposons, the 5 ' UTR of mouse Ll elements contains tandem repeats of similar to 200 bp in length called monomers. Multiple Ll subfamilies exist in the mouse which are distinguished by their monomer se quences. We previously described a young subfamily, called the T-F subfamil y, which contains similar to 1800 active elements among its 3000 full-lengt h members. Here we characterize a novel subfamily of mouse LI elements, G(F ), which has unique monomer sequence and unusual patterns of monomer organi zation. A majority of these G(F) elements also have a unique length polymor phism in ORF1. Polymorphism analysis of G(F) elements in various mouse subs pecies and laboratory strains revealed that, like T-F, the G(F) subfamily i s young and expanding. About 1500 full-length G(F) elements exist in the di ploid mouse genome and, based on the results of a cell culture assay, simil ar to 400 G(F) elements are potentially capable of retrotransposition. We a lso tested 14 A-type subfamily elements in the assay and estimate that abou t 900 active A elements may be present in the mouse genome. Thus, it is now known that there are three large active subfamilies of mouse Lis; T-F, A, and G(F), and that in total similar to 3000 full-length elements are potent ially capable of active retrotransposition. This number is in great excess to the number of Ll elements thought to be active in the human genome.