A family of target site-specific retrotransposons interrupts spliced leader RNA genes in trypanosomatids.
Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that have been found in almost every genome. Because they do not code for any coat protein sequences, it is believed that they have lost the ability to maintain an extracellular life cycle yet they share many other gene homologies with retroviral genomes. Their replication involves an RNA intermediate and the activity of the reverse-transcriptase enzyme for which they code. Although the majority of these elements are promiscuous in their insertion, there are a few examples that integrate into specific target sites. One such integration site-specific element interrupts the spliced leader RNA genes of organisms of several genera within the family Trypanosomatidae. These elements constitute a highly related family of sequences that most likely have evolved through a common ancestor.
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Yale MacArthur Center for Molecular Parasitology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000235:genetics*
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016053:RNA, Protozoan