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Evidence for retrotranscription of protein-coding genes in the Drosophila subobscura genome

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Summary

Evidence is provided for the presence of retrosequences (also named retroposons) arising from Adh in the Drosophila subobscura genome. Restriction analysis and primary structure of two different retrosequence-containing clones, S812 and S135, are reported. The fact that these retrosequences lack introns and a recognizable promoter strongly supports their retrotranscriptional origin. Adjacent to the two retrosequences analyzed, a middle repetitive DNA element has been found which bears no clear similarity to any sequence reported to date in the GenBank/EMBL Data Library. A comparative analysis of these retrosequences with the functional Adh gene of D. subobscura is presented. In addition, a model concerning the origin, functionality, and propagation of these genome elements is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda, Diagonal, 645 (08028), Barcelona, Spain

    Gemma Marfany & Roser Gonzàlez-Duarte

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  1. Gemma Marfany
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  2. Roser Gonzàlez-Duarte
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Marfany, G., Gonzàlez-Duarte, R. Evidence for retrotranscription of protein-coding genes in the Drosophila subobscura genome. J Mol Evol 35, 492–501 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00160210

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