Genomic sequences with homology to the P element of Drosophila melanogaster occur in the blowfly Lucilia cuprina.
We have cloned two DNA elements (Lu-P1 and Lu-P2) from the Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina that are similar to the transposable P element of Drosophila melanogaster in both structure and sequence but have diverged from it and from each other considerably. Hybridization studies indicate that a third related element probably exists in another, as yet unsequenced, clone. Neither Lu-P1 nor Lu-P2 appears to be active in terms of mobility, and it is not known whether any transposition-competent copies of other related elements occur in the genome of the blowfly. However, the isolation of any P-like sequences from a species outside of the family Drosophilidae allows comparisons to be made of more widely divergent P-related elements than has been possible previously. We are unaware of any report of the presence of multiple P-like family members within a single species. The discovery of Lu-P1 and Lu-P2 in the blowfly fuels the possibility that similar elements may be widespread in insects, and perhaps in other orders of animals.
Perkins
H D
HD
Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Australian National University, Canberra.
Howells
A J
AJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D015698:Genomic Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004247:DNA