Upstream and downstream transcriptional control signals in the yeast retrotransposon, TY

The yeast retrotransposon, Ty, shares many structural and functional features with retroviral proviruses. These include production of a terminally redundant major transcript. There are also two less abundant transcripts of 5.0 kb and 2.2 kb. Ty transcription is regulated by cell-type, that is it is reduced 5-20 fold in a/alpha diploids as compared to haploids. However control of expression of Ty is not well understood. By deletion analysis we have identified regions of the element which are involved in the activation and regulation of transcription. These signals are found both upstream and downstream of the mRNA start site. The downstream signals are within the region encoding the major Ty proteins. This organisation of transcriptional control signals is discussed with reference to the organisation of control signals in other yeast genes and in retroviral proviruses and other retro-elements.