Relationships between transposable elements based upon the integrase-transposase domains: is there a common ancestor?
The integrase domain of RNA-mediated elements (class I) and the transposase domain of DNA-mediated transposable elements (class II) were compared. A number of elements contain the DDE signature, which plays an important role in their integration. The possible relationships between mariner-Tc1 and IS elements, retrotransposons, and retroviruses were analyzed from an alignment of this region. The mariner-Tc1 superfamily, and LTR retrotransposons and retroviruses were found to be monophyletic groups. However, the IS elements of bacteria were found in several groups. These results were used to propose an evolutionary history that suggests a common ancestor for some integrases and transposases.
Capy
P
P
Laboratoire Populations, Génétique et Evolution, CNRS, 91198 Gif/Yvette Cedex, France.
Vitalis
R
R
Langin
T
T
Higuet
D
D
Bazin
C
C
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D019426:Integrases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019895:Transposases
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D019426:Integrases; D019895:Transposases