Open AccessReversion of a gypsy-induced mutation at the yellow (y) locus of Drosophila melanogaster is associated with the insertion of a newly defined transposable element.
Author(s) -
Pamela Geyer,
M. M. Green,
Victor G. Corcés
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.85.11.3938
Subject(s) - transposable element , genetics , biology , drosophila melanogaster , p element , reversion , locus (genetics) , dna transposable elements , allele , long terminal repeat , phenotype , drosophilidae , retrotransposon , insertion sequence , gene , mutant , genome
To understand the molecular basis of the phenotype of gypsy-induced mutations, we have analyzed the structure of phenotypic revertants of the y2 allele, which is caused by the insertion of the gypsy element into the 5' region of the yellow (y) locus. Seven spontaneous revertants examined fall into two different classes. Three of these revertants arose by homologous recombination between the two gypsy long terminal repeats (LTRs), leaving behind a solo LTR. Four additional revertants contain an intact 3' LTR and half of the 5' LTR, but the central portion of gypsy has been replaced by a different 6.5-kilobase transposable element that contains a poly(A) tail. These results suggest that the mutagenic effect of the gypsy element is not due to its insertion into sequences necessary for transcription or to the distancing between the yellow promoter and remote regulatory sequences but is a consequence of idiosyncratic properties of the element itself.