Evidence for Drosophila P element transposase activity in mammalian cells and yeast.
Drosophila P element transposase expression is limited to the germline by tissue-specific splicing of one of its three introns. Removal of this intron by mutagenesis in vitro has allowed both P element excision and transposition to be detected in Drosophila somatic tissues. In order to determine if P element transposase can function in other organisms, we have expressed modified P elements either lacking one intron or lacking all three introns in mammalian cells and yeast, respectively. Using an assay for P element excision, we have detected apparent excision events in cultured monkey cells. Furthermore, expression of the complete P element cDNA is lethal to Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells carrying a mutation in the RAD52 gene, indicating that double-stranded DNA breaks are generated, presumably by transposase action.
Rio
D C
DC
Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
Barnes
G
G
Laski
F A
FA
Rine
J
J
Rubin
G M
GM
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D000882:Haplorhini; D010957:Plasmids; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements