Transposition of a reconstructed Harbinger element in human cells and functional homology with two transposon-derived cellular genes.

ABSTRACT: Ancient, inactive copies of transposable elements of the PIF/Harbinger superfamily have been described in vertebrates. We reconstructed components of the Harbinger3_DR transposon in zebrafish, including a transposase and a second, transposon-encoded protein that has a Myb-like trihelix domain. The reconstructed Harbinger transposon shows efficient cut-and-paste transposition in human cells and preferentially inserts into a 15-bp consensus target sequence. The Myb-like protein is required for transposition and physically interacts with the N-terminal region of the transposase via its C-terminal domain. The Myb-like protein enables transposition in part by promoting nuclear import of the transposase, by directly binding to subterminal regions of the transposon, and by recruiting the transpos

SUBMITTER: Sinzelle L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2290759 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature