Identification of active transposon dTok, a member of the hAT family, in rice

Plant Cell Physiol. 2006 Nov;47(11):1473-83. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcl012. Epub 2006 Sep 20.

Abstract

Recent completion of the sequencing of the rice genome has revealed that it contains >40% repetitive sequences, most of which are related to inactive transposable elements. During the molecular analysis of the floral organ number 1/multiple pistil 2 (fon1/mp2) mutant, we identified an active transposable element dTok0 that was inserted at the kinase domain of FON1, a homolog of CLAVATA1. Insertion of the element into FON1 generated an 8 bp duplication of its target sites, which is one of the major characteristics of the hAT family of transposons. The dTok0 element was actively transposed out of the FON1 gene, leaving 5-8 bp footprints. Reinsertion into a new location was observed at a low frequency. Analysis of the genome sequence showed that the rice cultivar 'Nipponbare' contains 25 copies of dTok elements; similar numbers were present in all the Oryza species examined. Because dTok0 does not encode a transposase, enzyme activity should be provided in trans. We identified a putative autonomous transposon, Tok1 that contains an intact open reading frame of the Ac-like transposase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Base Sequence
  • Chromosomes, Plant / genetics
  • DNA Transposable Elements / genetics*
  • Genes, Plant / genetics*
  • Genome, Plant / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family / genetics*
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional / genetics
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Oryza / genetics*
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics

Substances

  • DNA Transposable Elements