Rolling-circle transposons in eukaryotes

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Jul 17;98(15):8714-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.151269298. Epub 2001 Jul 10.

Abstract

All eukaryotic DNA transposons reported so far belong to a single category of elements transposed by the so-called "cut-and-paste" mechanism. Here, we report a previously unknown category of eukaryotic DNA transposons, Helitron, which transpose by rolling-circle replication. Autonomous Helitrons encode a 5'-to-3' DNA helicase and nuclease/ligase similar to those encoded by known rolling-circle replicons. Helitron-like transposons have conservative 5'-TC and CTRR-3' termini and do not have terminal inverted repeats. They contain 16- to 20-bp hairpins separated by 10--12 nucleotides from the 3'-end and transpose precisely between the 5'-A and T-3', with no modifications of the AT target sites. Together with their multiple diverged nonautonomous descendants, Helitrons constitute approximately 2% of both the Arabidopsis thaliana and Caenorhabditis elegans genomes and also colonize the Oriza sativa genome. Sequence conservation suggests that Helitrons continue to be transposed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • DNA Helicases / genetics*
  • DNA Replication
  • DNA Transposable Elements*
  • DNA, Helminth
  • DNA, Plant
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Eukaryotic Cells
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genome, Plant
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Replication Protein A

Substances

  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA, Helminth
  • DNA, Plant
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Replication Protein A
  • DNA Helicases