ABSTRACT
The structural variants of the regulatory and coding regions of the LTR-retrotransposon 1731 are described. Two classes of genomic copies of retrotransposon 1731, with and without frameshifting strategy to express Gag and Pol proteins, were earlier revealed in the D. melanogaster genome. Copies without frameshifting are shown to be evolved from an ancient variant with frameshifting and are widespread in the genomes of the melanogaster complex species. Position of a rare codon responsible for ribosome pausing and efficient frameshifting is identified. Two structural variants of 1731 LTRs were detected in the melanogaster complex species: the predominant structural variant A1A2 of 1731 LTR in the D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. sechellia genomes contains duplicated and diverged copies of 28 bp in the U3 region, whereas A1 variant lacking this duplication is expanded in the D. mauritiana genome. Selective expansion of the A1A2 variant was detected in the independently established D. melanogaster cell cultures. A1A2 variant is expressed in embryos, cell culture, and testes, whereas A1 is expressed only in testes of D. melanogaster. Relief of expression of the A1A2 but not A1 variant in the ovaries as a result of mutation in the RNA interference (RNAi) spn-E gene is shown. Thus, expansion of the recently evolved genomic variants of the LTR retrotransposon 1731 possessing a new translation strategy, duplication in the U3 region, and extended profile of expression is revealed.
Subject(s)
Drosophila/genetics , Gene Expression Profiling , Genetic Variation , Genome , Retroelements/genetics , Animals , Base Sequence , Blotting, Western , Cells, Cultured , DNA Primers , Frameshift Mutation/genetics , Gene Transfer Techniques , Genetic Vectors , Molecular Sequence Data , Sequence Alignment , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Species Specificity , TransfectionABSTRACT
A mucin-type glycoprotein (GP) from cultured embryonic cells of Drosophila melanogaster was isolated and used to raise monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Epitope(s) recognized by MAbs were sensitive to the treatment by O-glycanase, which specifically cleaves off O-linked mucin-type Gal(beta 1,3)GalNAc disaccharide, representing the major part of the carbohydrate moiety of Drosophila GP. Using high-affinity MAbs against carbohydrate epitopes of the Drosophila mucin GP we demonstrated its accumulation in culture medium, as well as in cultured cells, which proved to be regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone. Mucin GPs carrying Gal(beta 1,3)GalNAc disaccharide recognized by the MAbs were immunochemically localized in several Drosophila tissues of ectodermal, mesodermal and germ line origin, including epidermal and follicle cells capable of their secretion.
