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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Site-Directed φC31-Mediated Integration and Cassette Exchange in Anopheles Vectors of Malaria
Published on: February 2, 2021
Evolution and horizontal transfer of a DD37E DNA transposon in mosquitoes
James K Biedler1, Hongguang Shao, Zhijian Tu
1Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. jbiedler@vt.edu
Abstract:
ITmD37E, a unique class II transposable element (TE) with an ancient origin, appears to have been involved in multiple horizontal transfers in mosquitoes as ITmD37E sequences from 10 mosquito species of five genera share high nucleotide (nt) identities. For example, ITmD37E sequences from Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, which have an estimated common ancestor of 145-200 million years ago, display 92% nt identity. The comparison of ITmD37E and host mosquito phylogenies shows a lack of congruence. The wide distribution of conserved ITmD37Es in mosquitoes and the presence of intact copies suggest that this element may have been recently active.
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