title: piggyBac-based insertional mutagenesis and enhancer detection as a tool for functional insect genomics.
abstract: Transposon mutagenesis provides a fundamental tool for functional genomics. Here we present a non-species-specific, combined enhancer detection and binary expression system based on the transposable element piggyBac: For the different components of this insertional mutagenesis system, we used widely applicable transposons and distinguishable broad-range transformation markers, which should enable this system to be operational in nonmodel arthropods. In a pilot screen in Drosophila melanogaster, piggyBac mutator elements on the X chromosome were mobilized in males by a Hermes-based jumpstarter element providing piggyBac transposase activity under control of the alpha1-tubulin promoter. As primary reporters in the piggyBac mutator elements, we employed the heterologous transactivators GAL4delta or tTA. To identify larval and adult enhancer detectors, strains carrying UASp-EYFP or TRE-EYFP as secondary reporter elements were used. Tissue-specific enhancer activities were readily observed in the GAL4delta/UASp-based systems, but only rarely in the tTA/TRE system. Novel autosomal insertions were recovered with an average jumping rate of 80%. Of these novel insertions, 3.8% showed homozygous lethality, which was reversible by piggyBac excision. Insertions were found in both coding and noncoding regions of characterized genes and also in noncharacterized and non-P-targeted CG-number genes. This indicates that piggyBac will greatly facilitate the intended saturation mutagenesis in Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Genetik, Universität Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Offen
authors.forename: Sverker
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nystedt
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Häcker
authors.forename: Ernst A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wimmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D023281:Genomics; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements