Expression of the telomeric retrotransposon HeT-A in Drosophila melanogaster is correlated with cell proliferation.
Drosophila melanogaster extends its telomeres by transposition of two non-LTR retrotransposons, HeT-A and TART, to chromosome ends. We have determined the tissue-specific expression of these two elements by whole-mount in situ hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled RNA sense and antisense probes in the germ line and in a variety of larval tissues during normal development in the wild type and in tissues of mutants that cause overproliferation. Our results indicate that transcript levels, which are a key component in the process of telomere elongation in D. melanogaster, are correlated with cell proliferation in normal tissues and that RNA levels are elevated in growth-stimulated tissues.
Walter
Marika F
MF
Developmental Biology Center, University of California, Irvine 92697, USA.
Biessmann
Harald
H
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017344:Genes, Insect; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D018626:Retroelements / Q000235:genetics*; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015683:Gene Products, gag; C103996:HeT-A-gag protein, Drosophila; D018626:Retroelements; C469435:TART-element-gag protein, Drosophila; D012313:RNA