A Database of Drosophila Genes & Genomes

FB2013_03, released May 7th, 2013
 

Reference Report

Reference
Citation Eickbush, D.G.J., Eickbush, T.H. (1995). Vertical transmission of the retrotransposable elements R1 and R2 during the evolution of the Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup.  Genetics 139(2): 671--684. (Export to RIS)
FlyBase ID FBrf0080006
Publication Type Research paper
PubMed ID 7713424
PubMed Abstract R1 and R2 are non-long-terminal repeat retrotransposable elements that insert into specific sequences of insect 28S ribosomal RNA genes. These elements have been extensively described in Drosophila melanogaster. To determine whether these elements have been horizontally or vertically transmitted, we characterized R1 and R2 elements from the seven other members of the melanogaster species subgroup by genomic blotting and nucleotide sequencing. Each species was found to have homogeneous families of R1 and R2 elements with the exception of erecta and orena, which have no R2 elements. The DNA sequences of multiple R1 and R2 copies from each species indicated nucleotide divergence within each species averaged only 0.48% for R1 and 0.35% for R2, well below the level of divergence among the species. Most copies of R1 and R2 (40 of 47) sequenced from the seven species were potentially functional, as indicated by the absence of premature termination codons or translational frameshifts that would destroy the open reading frame of the element. The sequence relationships of both the R1 and R2 elements from the various members of the melanogaster subgroup closely followed that of the species phylogeny, suggesting that R1 and R2 have been stably maintained by vertical transmission since the origin of this species subgroup 17-20 million years ago. The remarkable stability of R1 and R2, compared to what has been suggested for transposable elements that insert at multiple locations in these same species, may be due to their unique specificity for sites in the rRNA gene locus. Under low copy number conditions, when it is essential for any mobile element to transpose, the insertion specificities of R1 and R2 ensure uniform developmentally regulated target sites that can be occupied with little or no detrimental effect on the host.
DOI
Related Publication(s)
hide Recent Updates
Description
What does this section display?
This section contains items that were added to this record for each release. It currently only tracks new links between this FlyBase report and other FlyBase data classes (e.g. genes, references, stocks) or controlled vocabulary terms (e.g. GO, anatomy terms).
What does this section not display?
This section does not currently display links that were removed or gene model changes.
Update Feed
Click the icon below to subscribe to this FlyBase record and receive updates automatically through your feed reader.
FB2013_03
FB2013_02
All updates Click here to see a list of all updates to this record from FB2010_08 and on.
hide Associated Information
Comments
Associated Files
hide Other Information
Secondary IDs
Language of Publication English
Additional Languages of Abstract
Also Published As
hide Parent Publication
Publication Type Journal
Abbreviation Genetics
Title Genetics
Publication Year 1916-
ISBN/ISSN 0016-6731
hide Data from Reference
hideGenes (12)
hideNatural transposons (14)