Recent CR1 non-LTR retrotransposon activity in coscoroba reveals an insertion site preference.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chicken repeat 1 (CR1) is a taxonomically widespread non-LTR retrotransposon. Insertion site bias, or lack thereof, has not been demonstrated for CR1. Recent CR1 retrotranspositions were used to examine flanking regions for GC content and nucleotide bias at the insertion site.

Results

Elucidation of the exact octomer repeat sequence (TTCTGTGA) allowed for the identification of younger insertion events. The number of octomer repeats associated with a CR1 element increases after insertion with CR1s having one octomer being youngest. These young CR1s are flanked by regions of low GC content (38%). Furthermore, a bias for specific bases within the first four positions at the site of insertion was revealed.

Conclusion

This study focused on those loci where the i

SUBMITTER: St John J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2612034 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature