A <it>Gaijin</it>-like miniature inverted repeat transposable element is mobilized in rice during cell differentiation

• Main Authors: Dong Hai-Tao, Zhang Lu, Zheng Kang-Le, Yao Hai-Gen, Chen Jack, Yu Feng-Chi, Yu Xiao-Xing, Mao Bi-Zeng, Zhao Dong, Yao Jian, Li De-Bao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012-04-01
• Series: BMC Genomics
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/13/135

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE) is one type of transposable element (TE), which is largely found in eukaryotic genomes and involved in a wide variety of biological events. However, only few MITEs were proved to be currently active and their physiological function remains largely unknown.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that the amplicon discrepancy of a gene locus LOC_Os01g0420 in different rice cultivar genomes was resulted from the existence of a member of <it>Gaijin</it>-like MITEs (<it>mGing</it>). This result indicated that <it>mGing </it>transposition was occurred at this gene locus. By using a modified transposon display (TD) analysis, the active transpositions of <it>mGing </it>were detected in rice Jiahua No. 1 genome under three conditions: in seedlings germinated from the seeds received a high dose γ-ray irradiation, in plantlets regenerated from anther-derived calli and from scutellum-derived calli, and were confirmed by PCR validation and sequencing. Sequence analysis revealed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or short additional DNA sequences at transposition sites post <it>mGing </it>transposition. It suggested that sequence modification was possibly taken place during <it>mGing</it> transposition. Furthermore, cell re-differentiation experiment showed that active transpositions of both <it>mGing </it>and <it>mPing </it>(another well studied MITE) were identified only in regenerated plantlets.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It is for the first time that <it>mGing </it>active transposition was demonstrated under γ-ray irradiation or in cell re-differentiation process in rice. This newly identified active MITE will provide a foundation for further analysis of the roles of MITEs in biological process.</p>