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The maize En-1/Spm element transposes in potato
M Frey1, S M Tavantzis, H Saedler
1Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Abteilung Molekulare Pflanzengenetik, Köln, Federal Republic of Germany.
Molecular & General Genetics : MGG
|May 1, 1989
Summary
The maize En-1 transposable element is active in potato plants, producing abundant specific RNA transcripts. Its transposition and characteristic footprints were confirmed in potato, similar to its behavior in maize.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Genetics and genomics
- Transposable elements research
Background:
- Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic sequences.
- The En-1 element from maize is a well-studied TE.
- Understanding TE behavior in new host genomes is crucial for genetic engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the activity and transposition of the maize En-1 element in a diploid potato line.
- To characterize the transcriptional activity and transpositional behavior of En-1 in a non-native plant species.
Main Methods:
- Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of potato with the En-1 element.
- Analysis of En-1 specific RNA transcripts using Northern blot.
- Southern blot hybridization to detect transposition events.
- Molecular isolation and sequencing of En-1 excision and integration sites.
Main Results:
- The En-1 element was transcriptionally active in transgenic potato.
- A highly abundant 6 kb En-1 transcript was observed in potato, unlike in maize.
- Evidence of En-1 transposition, including excision and integration events, was confirmed.
- Sequence analysis revealed footprints and target site duplications characteristic of En-1 in maize.
Conclusions:
- The maize En-1 transposable element can be transcriptionally active and transpose in potato.
- The expression pattern of the 6 kb transcript differs significantly between maize and potato.
- En-1 exhibits similar transposition mechanisms (footprints, target site duplications) in potato as in its native maize host.