Nucleic Acids Research, Vol 24, Issue 5 914-923, Copyright © 1996 by Oxford University Press
TM Alberola and R de Frutos
We have determined the nucleotide sequence of a 7.5 kb full-size gypsy
element from Drosophila subobscura strain H-271. Comparative analyses were
carried out on the sequence and molecular structure of gypsy elements of
D.subobscura (gypsyDs), D.melanogaster (gypsyDm) and D.virilis (gypsyDv).
The three elements show a structure that maintains a common mechanism of
expression. ORF1 and ORF2 show typical motifs of gag and pol genes
respectively in the three gypsy elements and could encode functional
proteins necessary for intracellular expansion. In the three ORF1 proteins
an arginine-rich region was found which could constitute a RNA binding
motif. The main differences among the gypsy elements are found in ORF3
(env-like gene); gypsyDm encodes functional env proteins, whereas gypsyDs
and gypsyDv ORF3s lack some motifs essential for functionality of this
protein. On the basis of these results, while gypsyDm is the first insect
retrovirus described, gypsyDs and gypsyDv could constitute degenerate forms
of these retroviruses. In this context, we have found some evidence that
gypsyDm could have recently infected some D.subobscura strains. Comparative
analyses of divergence and phylogenetic relationships of gypsy elements
indicate that the gypsy elements belonging to species of different
subgenera (gypsyDs and gypsyDv) are closer than gypsy elements of species
belonging to the same subgenus (gypsyDs and gypsyDm). These data are
congruent with horizontal transfer of gypsy elements among different
Drosophila spp.
ARTICLES
Molecular structure of a gypsy element of Drosophila subobscura (gypsyDs) constituting a degenerate form of insect retroviruses
Departament de Genetica, Universitat de Valencia, Spain.
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