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Relationships between transposable elements based upon the integrase-transposase domains: Is there a common ancestor?

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Abstract

The integrase domain of RNA-mediated elements (class I) and the transposase domain of DNA-mediated transposable elements (class II) were compared. A number of elements contain the DDE signature, which plays an important role in their integration. The possible relationships betweenmariner-Tc1 andIS elements, retrotransposons, and retroviruses were analyzed from an alignment of this region. Themariner-Tc1 superfamily, and LTR retrotransposons and retroviruses were found to be monophyletic groups. However, theIS elements of bacteria were found in several groups. These results were used to propose an evolutionary history that suggests a common ancestor for some integrases and transposases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Populations, Génétique et Evolution, CNRS, 91198, Gif/Yvette Cedex, France

    Pierre Capy, Renaud Vitalis & Claude Bazin

  2. Laboratoire de Cryptogamie, Bat. 400, Université Paris XI, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France

    Thierry Langin

  3. Laboratoire de Dynamique du Génome et Evolution, Institut J. Monod, 75251, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Dominique Higuet

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  1. Pierre Capy
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  2. Renaud Vitalis
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  3. Thierry Langin
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  4. Dominique Higuet
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  5. Claude Bazin
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Correspondence to: P. Capy

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Capy, P., Vitalis, R., Langin, T. et al. Relationships between transposable elements based upon the integrase-transposase domains: Is there a common ancestor?. J Mol Evol 42, 359–368 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02337546

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