New BEL-like LTR-retrotransposons in Fugu rubripes, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster.
The BEL group of retroelements is present in greater numbers, variety and taxonomic range than may have been thought previously. In addition to the insects, nematodes and schistosomes, BEL-like elements are present in echinoderms, urochordates, and at least two highly diverged species of fish. We describe one new full-length BEL-like element in Fugu that we call Suzu, another in Drosophila that we call Tinker, and seven new families in C. elegans. Many of the C. elegans elements have an unusual insertion at the 5' end. The previously known Roo, TRAM and Telemac are also BEL-like retrotransposons. Some BEL-like elements have captured an envelope gene, probably from other retroelements in some cases but from a phlebovirus in one case.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics*; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D018626:Retroelements / Q000235:genetics*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015686:Gene Products, env; D019476:Insect Proteins; D018626:Retroelements; C095604:roo-ORF protein, Drosophila; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D010450:Endopeptidases