Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

msDNA of bacteria.

B C Lampson1, S Inouye, M Inouye

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway 08854.

Progress in Nucleic Acid Research and Molecular Biology
|January 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Retrons, msDNA, and the bacterial genome.

Cytogenetic and genome research·2005
Same author

Solution structure of the homodimeric core domain of Escherichia coli histidine kinase EnvZ.

Nature structural biology·1999
Same author

Transcription of cspA, the gene for the major cold-shock protein of Escherichia coli, is negatively regulated at 37 degrees C by the 5'-untranslated region of its mRNA.

FEMS microbiology letters·1999
Same author

DB or not DB in translation?

Molecular microbiology·1999
Same author

A pathway for conformational diversity in proteins mediated by intramolecular chaperones.

The Journal of biological chemistry·1999
Same author

Cold-shock response and cold-shock proteins.

Current opinion in microbiology·1999

The msDNA-retron element, a prokaryotic retroelement, produces unusual RNA-DNA molecules called msDNA. Its presence in bacteria predates eukaryotes, suggesting it may be an ancestral gene for retroviruses.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The msDNA-retron element is the first identified prokaryotic retroelement.
  • Retroelements are common in eukaryotic genomes but their prokaryotic origins are less understood.
  • This element encodes a reverse transcriptase (RT) responsible for msDNA synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the msDNA-retron element in prokaryotes.
  • To investigate the evolutionary origins and potential mobility of this element.
  • To compare its presence and characteristics in M. xanthus and E. coli.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of retron element structure and gene content (msr, msd, ORF).
  • Biochemical characterization of the reverse transcriptase (RT).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparative genomics and codon usage analysis in M. xanthus and E. coli.

    • Main Results:

    • msDNA-retron elements found in M. xanthus and E. coli, encoding an RT.
    • msDNA molecules possess unique 2',5' branch linkages.
    • E. coli elements appear heterogeneous and possibly mobile, while M. xanthus elements seem ancient.

    Conclusions:

    • The msDNA-retron element synthesizes msDNA via reverse transcription of a precursor RNA.
    • The ancient nature of M. xanthus msDNA-retrons suggests origins predating eukaryotic cells.
    • This prokaryotic element may represent an ancestral form of eukaryotic retroelements and retroviruses.