Short interspersed elements (SINEs) from insectivores. Two classes of mammalian SINEs distinguished by A-rich tail structure.
Four tRNA-related SINE families were isolated from the genome of the shrew Sorex araneus (SOR element), mole Mogera robusta (TAL element), and hedgehog Mesechinus dauuricus (ERI-1 and ERI-2 elements). Each of these SINEs families is specific for a single Insectivora family: SOR, for Soricidae (shrews); TAL, for Talpidae (moles and desmans); ERI-1 and ERI-2, for Erinaceidae (hedgehogs). There is a long polypyrimidine region (TC-motif) in TAL, ERI-1, and ERI-2 elements located immediately upstream of an A-rich tail with polyadenylation signals (AATAAA) and an RNA polymerase III terminator (T(4-6)) or TCT(3-4)). Ten out of 14 analyzed mammalian tRNA-related SINE families have an A-rich tail similar to that of TAL, ERI-1, and ERI-2 elements. These elements were assigned to class T+. The other four SINEs including SOR element have no polyadenylation signal and transcription terminator in their A-rich tail and were assigned to class T-. Class T+ SINEs occur only in mammals, and most of them have a long polypyrimidine region. Possible models of retroposition of class T+ and T- SINEs are discussed.
Borodulina
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Laboratory of Eukaryotic Genome Evolution, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 32 Vavilov Str., Moscow, 119991 Russia.
Kramerov
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D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016384:Consensus Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D007312:Eulipotyphla / Q000235:genetics*; D006364:Hedgehogs / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008971:Moles / Q000235:genetics; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011061:Poly A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000378:metabolism; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D020086:Short Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D012788:Shrews / Q000235:genetics
D011061:Poly A; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D012320:RNA Polymerase III