The somatic activity of the mariner transposable element in natural populations of D.simulans is assayed. Results strongly suggest temperature could be involved in the regulation of Dsim\mariner somatic excision.
Distribution of the mariner element among Drosophilidae species is investigated using three different techniques (squash blots, Southern blots and PCR amplification). Results demonstrate the distribution of mariner is not uniform and does not follow the phylogeny of the host species. Analysis of geographical distributions of the element shows it is mainly present in Asia and Africa.
Population biology and molecular evolution of the mariner element in the eight species of the melanogaster subgroup of the Drosophila subgenus Sophophora has been studied. The element occurs in D.simulans, D.mauritiana, D.sechellia, D.teissieri and D.yakuba, but not D.melanogaster, D.erecta or D.orena. Sequence comparisons suggest that the element was present in the ancestor of the species subgroup and was lost in some of the lineages. Most species that contain active elements also contain inactive elements.
The somatic activity of the mariner transposable element in natural populations of D.simulans is assayed. Results strongly suggest temperature could be involved in the regulation of Dsim\mariner somatic excision.
Natural populations of D.simulans are relatively stable and the Dsim\mariner element is probably an ancient component of the genome.
Significant decrease in lifespan of D.simulans males results from the movement of Dsim\mariner.
Distribution of the mariner element among Drosophilidae species is investigated using three different techniques (squash blots, Southern blots and PCR amplification). Results demonstrate the distribution of mariner is not uniform and does not follow the phylogeny of the host species. Analysis of geographical distributions of the element shows it is mainly present in Asia and Africa.
Population biology and molecular evolution of the mariner element in the eight species of the melanogaster subgroup of the Drosophila subgenus Sophophora has been studied. The element occurs in D.simulans, D.mauritiana, D.sechellia, D.teissieri and D.yakuba, but not D.melanogaster, D.erecta or D.orena. Sequence comparisons suggest that the element was present in the ancestor of the species subgroup and was lost in some of the lineages. Most species that contain active elements also contain inactive elements.
Comparison of active and inactive mariner elements from D.simulans, D.mauritiana and D.sechellia suggests that the mariner elements in D.mauritiana and D.sechellia are derived from D.simulans.
Most strains of D.simulans have a low copy number of Dsim\mariner.
The distribution of the mariner transposable element in the genus Drosophila has been examined. Sequences hybridising to Dmau\mariner are present in D.mauritiana, D.simulans, D.sechellia, D.yakuba and D.teissieri, but not D.melanogaster, D.erecta and D.orena.
Active Dsim\mariner elements are abundant in all 13 populations studied.