Methylation of rRNA as a host defense against rampant group II intron retrotransposition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Group II introns are mobile retroelements, capable of invading new sites in DNA. They are self-splicing ribozymes that complex with an intron-encoded protein to form a ribonucleoprotein that targets DNA after splicing. These molecules can invade DNA site-specifically, through a process known as retrohoming, or can invade ectopic sites through retrotransposition. Retrotransposition, in particular, can be strongly influenced by both environmental and cellular factors.

Results

To investigate host factors that influence retrotransposition, we performed random insertional mutagenesis using the ISS1 transposon to generate a library of over 1000 mutants in Lactococcus lactis, the native host of the Ll.LtrB group II intron. By screening this library, we identified 92 muta

SUBMITTER: Waldern JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7938551 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature