Recurrent co-domestication of PIF/Harbinger transposable element proteins in insects

ABSTRACT:

Background

Transposable elements (TEs) are selfish DNA sequences capable of moving and amplifying at the expense of host cells. Despite this, an increasing number of studies have revealed that TE proteins are important contributors to the emergence of novel host proteins through molecular domestication. We previously described seven transposase-derived domesticated genes from the PIF/Harbinger DNA family of TEs in Drosophila and a co-domestication. All PIF TEs known in plants and animals distinguish themselves from other DNA transposons by the presence of two genes. We hypothesize that there should often be co-domestications of the two genes from the same TE because the transposase (gene 1) has been described to be translocated to the nucleus by the MADF protein (gene 2). To provi

SUBMITTER: Markova D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9710019 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature