Mobile element insertions causing mutations in the Drosophila suppressor of sable locus occur in DNase I hypersensitive subregions of 5'-transcribed nontranslated sequences.
The locations of 16 mobile element insertions causing mutations at the Drosophila suppressor of sable [su(s)] locus were determined by restriction mapping and DNA sequencing of the junction sites. The transposons causing the mutations are: P element (5 alleles), gypsy (3 alleles), 17.6, HMS Beagle, springer, Delta 88, prygun, Stalker, and a new mobile element which was named roamer (2 alleles). Four P element insertions occur in 5' nontranslated leader sequences, while the fifth P element and all 11 non-P elements inserted into the 2053 nucleotide, 5'-most intron that is spliced from the 5' nontranslated leader approximately 100 nucleotides upstream of the translation start. Fifteen of the 16 mobile elements inserted within a approximately 1900 nucleotide region that contains seven 100-200-nucleotide long DNase I-hypersensitive subregions that alternate with DNase I-resistant intervals of similar lengths. The locations of these 15 insertion sites correlate well with the roughly estimated locations of five of the DNase I-hypersensitive subregions. These findings suggest that the features of chromatin structure that accompany gene activation may also make the DNA susceptible to insertion of mobile elements.
Voelker
R A
RA
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.
Graves
J
J
Gibson
W
W
Eisenberg
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D016153:Genes, Suppressor; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I