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Identification of new medium reiteration frequency repeats in the genomes of Primates, Rodentia and Lagomorpha

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Abstract

We report eleven new families of MEdium Reiteration frequency (MER) interspersed repeats in the genomes of Primates, Rodentia, and Lagomorpha. Two families of the human repeats, MER46 and MER47, represent non-autonomous DNA transposons. These sequences are flanked by TA target site duplications and have terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) similar to TIRs of DNA transposons. The sequences of five other families of repeats, MER41, MER48, MER50, MER51, and RMER3, resemble long terminal repeats of retroviruses. A potential involvement of some of the reported MER repeats in the regulation of transcription and genetic rearrangements is suggested. Age estimations place the origin of most MER repeats at the time of decline in MIR (Mammalian-wide Interspersed Repeats) retroposition and before the origin of the Alu family.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic Information Research Institute, 440 Page Mill Rd., 94306, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Jerzy Jurka, Vladimir V. Kapitonov, Paul Klonowski & Jolanta Walichiewicz

  2. Department of Biotechnology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA

    Arian F. A. Smit

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  1. Jerzy Jurka
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  2. Vladimir V. Kapitonov
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  3. Paul Klonowski
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  4. Jolanta Walichiewicz
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  5. Arian F. A. Smit
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Jurka, J., Kapitonov, V.V., Klonowski, P. et al. Identification of new medium reiteration frequency repeats in the genomes of Primates, Rodentia and Lagomorpha . Genetica 98, 235–247 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00057588

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00057588

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