title: Mobilization of a hobo-related sequence in the genome of Drosophila simulans.
abstract: The hobo transposable element can occur under three forms in the Drosophila genome: as a complete element (also called canonical), as internally deleted copies, or as hobo-related sequences (relics). Some evidence indicated that canonical elements and internally deleted copies are recent acquisitions of Drosophila genomes, while the "relics" are old components, normally degenerated and immobile. Here we present the characterization of a hobo-related sequence, found in the genome of a hypermutable strain of D. simulans, which insertion into the white locus raised a de novo white mutation. It is a shorter hobo related element presenting, overall, roughly 18% of divergence at the DNA level from the canonical hobo, with many indels that make clear this element is defective. However, its ITRs and flanking regions are extremely conserved. This is the first hobo "relic" showed to be mobilizable. We suggest, and point up some evidences, toward the idea that this sequence could have been mobilized by the canonical element. The presence of a similar "relic" element in D. sechellia allows us to suggest that these elements have been maintained mobilizable since the time of divergence between these species.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: L F M
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Fonte
authors.forename: V L S
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: E L S
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Loreto
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049750:Genome, Insect; D009154:Mutation; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D019895:Transposases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; C059254:w protein, Drosophila; D019895:Transposases; C473489:hobo-T protein, Drosophila