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Envelope-class retrovirus-like elements are widespread, transcribed and spliced, and insertionally polymorphic in
C M Vicient1, R Kalendar, A H Schulman
1Plant Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Genome Research
|December 4, 2001
Summary
Env-class retrotransposons are widespread in flowering plants and actively transcribed, suggesting potential active retroviral agents in plants. This research identifies functional env domains in plant retrotransposons.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Plant Science
Background:
- Retrotransposons and retroviruses share similarities but retrotransposons lack the env gene for infectivity.
- Env-containing retroelements are known but their prevalence and function in plants are unclear.
- Retrotransposons are abundant in plants, while active retroviruses are known in animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and functionality of env-class elements in flowering plants.
- To determine if env domains in plant retrotransposons are transcribed and functional.
- To explore the potential for active retroviral agents in plants.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis of env-class elements across plant species.
- RNA sequencing to detect transcription of env domains.
- Analysis of retrotransposon transcript splicing and polypeptide domains.
Main Results:
- Env-class elements are present and widely transcribed throughout flowering plants.
- The env domain of Bagy-2 retrotransposons in grasses is transcribed and spliced into a subgenomic product.
- Putative ENV polypeptides of Bagy-2 and Rigy-2 contain leucine zipper and transmembrane domains.
Conclusions:
- Env-class retrotransposons are common and transcriptionally active in plants.
- Plant retrotransposons can generate functional env products, similar to retroviruses.
- These findings suggest the potential existence of active retroviral agents within plants.