title: A retrotransposon-like element and its occurrence in British Columbia populations of Chondrostereum purpureum.
abstract: Repetitive DNA elements discovered in the basidiomycete Chondrostereum purpureum were characterized and validated for use as genetic markers. Regions of these marker sequences were similar to retrotransposon and retrotransposon-like sequences, as indicated by BLAST searches of NCBI databases. These sequences occur in multiple DNA fragments of variable length in a given C. purpureum isolate, and thus can serve as strain-specific genetic markers. The segregation of the markers within a progeny set demonstrated their stability through meiosis. The population structure of C. purpureum was assessed using the markers. There was no evidence of a barrier to gene flow between C. purpureum populations separated by 1400 km and no indication of population sub-structuring based on host or geographical source of isolate. Repetitive fragments were amplified from four other species, suggesting the occurrence of these retrotransposon-like elements in other basidiomycetes and the potential utility of these markers for other fungi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The Centre for Forest Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3020, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3N5. ebecker@uvic.ca
authors.forename: Elisa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Paul Y de la
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Bastide
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Hintz
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001955:British Columbia; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D018626:Retroelements; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D018626:Retroelements