Helitrons in Drosophila: Chromatin modulation and tandem insertions. (3rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dias, Guilherme B.; Heringer, Pedro; Kuhn, Gustavo C. S.
• Is Part Of: Mobile genetic elements. Volume 6:Number 2(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-03-03
• Subjects: β-heterochromatin -- chromatin sink -- DINE-1 -- gene regulation -- piRNA; Mobile genetic elements -- Periodicals; DNA -- Periodicals; 572.869
• DOI: 10.1080/2159256X.2016.1154638
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2159-256X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although Helitrons were discovered 15 y ago, they still represent an elusive group of transposable elements (TEs). They are thought to transpose via a rolling-circle mechanism, but no transposition assay has yet been conducted. We have recently characterized a group of Helitrons in Drosophila, named DINE-TR1, that display interesting features, including pronounced enrichment at β-heterochromatin, multiple tandem insertions (TIs) of the entire TE, and that experienced at least 2 independent expansion events of its internal tandem repeats (TRs) in distant Drosophila lineages. Here we discuss 2 aspects of TE dynamics displayed by the DINE-TR1 Helitrons : (i) the general evolutionary impact of piRNA-guided heterochromatin formation via TE-derived TR expansion and (ii) the possible mechanisms that could account for the recurrent TIs of Helitrons .