Biogeographic analysis of the Uhu and LOA elements in the Hawaiian Drosophila.
Two transposable elements have been isolated from the Hawaiian Drosophila, the Uhu and LOA elements. The Uhu element has been shown to be present in a group of closely related species, the planitibia subgroup of the picture-winged Drosophila. This study examines the distribution of the Uhu element in several other subgroups of the picture-winged Drosophila, as well as the modified-mouthparts and antopocerus groups of the Hawaiian Drosophila. The LOA element has a much more limited distribution, having only been found in representatives of the planitibia and grimshawi subgroups of the picture-winged Drosophila. For both the Uhu and LOA elements there is an inverse correlation between the copy number of the element and the age of the island on which the species is endemic, i.e., species endemic to the Island of Hawaii, the youngest island, have the highest copy number, while species endemic to Kauai, the oldest island, have the lowest copy number of the element. The correlation suggests there is a relationship between speciation and the activity of transposable elements.
Wisotzkey
R G
RG
Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1960 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
Felger
I
I
Hunt
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006254:Hawaii; D010802:Phylogeny
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements