title: Boto, a class II transposon in Moniliophthora perniciosa, is the first representative of the PIF/Harbinger superfamily in a phytopathogenic fungus.
abstract: Boto, a class II transposable element, was characterized in the Moniliophthora perniciosa genome. The Boto transposase is highly similar to plant PIF-like transposases that belong to the newest class II superfamily known as PIF/Harbinger. Although Boto shares characteristics with PIF-like elements, other characteristics, such as the transposase intron position, the position and direction of the second ORF, and the footprint, indicate that Boto belongs to a novel family of the PIF/Harbinger superfamily. Southern blot analyses detected 6-12 copies of Boto in C-biotype isolates and a ubiquitous presence among the C- and S-biotypes, as well as a separation in the C-biotype isolates from Bahia State in Brazil in at least two genotypic groups, and a new insertion in the genome of a C-biotype isolate maintained in the laboratory for 6 years. In addition to PCR amplification from a specific insertion site, changes in the Boto hybridization profile after the M. perniciosa sexual cycle and detection of Boto transcripts gave further evidence of Boto activity. As an active family in the genome of M. perniciosa, Boto elements may contribute to genetic variability in this homothallic fungus. This is the first report of a PIF/Harbinger transposon in the genome of a phytopathogenic fungus.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula Morais Martins
authors.initials: APMM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Júnio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cota
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, CEP 87020-900, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Alencar
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pamphile
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilvan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferreira da Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elza Fernandes
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.affiliation: CEPLAC, Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau, CEP 45600-000, Itabuna, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karina Peres
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Gramacho
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Fitopatologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Hermínio
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Brommonschenkel
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Genética e Evolução, CEP 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães
authors.initials: GAG
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Microbiologia, CEP 36571-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marisa Vieira
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Queiroz
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001938:Brazil; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004271:DNA, Fungal