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Abstract Background Transposable elements (TEs) have a profound influence on the trajectory of plant evolution, driving genome expansion and catalyzing phenotypic diversification. The pangenome, a comprehensive genetic pool encompassing all variations within a species, serves as an invaluable tool, unaffected by the confounding factors of intraspecific diversity. This allows for a more nuanced exploration of plant TE evolution. Results Here, we constructed a pangenome for diploid A-genome cotton using 344 accessions from representative geographical regions, including 223 from China as the main component. We found 511 Mb of non-reference sequences (NRSs) and revealed the presence of 5479 previously undiscovered protein-coding genes. Our comprehensive approach enabled us to decipher the genetic underpinnings of the distinct geographic distributions of cotton. Notably, we identified 3301 presence-absence variations (PAVs) that are closely tied to gene expression patterns within the pangenome, among which 2342 novel expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) were found residing in NRSs. Our investigation also unveiled contrasting patterns of transposon proliferation between diploid and tetraploid cotton, with long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons exhibiting a synchronized surge in polyploids. Furthermore, the invasion of LTR retrotransposons from the A subgenome to the D subgenome triggered a substantial expansion of the latter following polyploidization. In addition, we found that TE insertions were responsible for the loss of 36.2% of species-specific genes, as well as the generation of entirely new species-specific genes. Conclusions Our pangenome analyses provide new insights into cotton genomics and subgenome dynamics after polyploidization and demonstrate the power of pangenome approaches for elucidating transposon impacts and genome evolution.

Background: Transposable elements (TEs) have a profound influence on the trajectory of plant evolution, driving genome expansion and catalyzing phenotypic diversification. The pangenome, a comprehensive genetic pool encompassing all variations within a species, serves as an invaluable tool, unaffected by the confounding factors of intraspecific diversity. This allows for a more nuanced exploration of plant TE evolution. Results: Here, we constructed a pangenome for diploid A-genome cotton using 344 accessions from representative geographical regions, including 223 from China as the main component. We found 511 Mb of non-reference sequences (NRSs) and revealed the presence of 5479 previously undiscovered protein-coding genes. Our comprehensive approach enabled us to decipher the genetic underpinnings of the distinct geographic distributions of cotton. Notably, we identified 3301 presence-absence variations (PAVs) that are closely tied to gene expression patterns within the pangenome, among which 2342 novel expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) were found residing in NRSs. Our investigation also unveiled contrasting patterns of transposon proliferation between diploid and tetraploid cotton, with long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons exhibiting a synchronized surge in polyploids. Furthermore, the invasion of LTR retrotransposons from the A subgenome to the D subgenome triggered a substantial expansion of the latter following polyploidization. In addition, we found that TE insertions were responsible for the loss of 36.2% of species-specific genes, as well as the generation of entirely new species-specific genes. Conclusions: Our pangenome analyses provide new insights into cotton genomics and subgenome dynamics after polyploidization and demonstrate the power of pangenome approaches for elucidating transposon impacts and genome evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transposable element invasions have a profound impact on the evolution of genomes and phenotypes. It is thus an important open question how often such TE invasions occur. To address this question, we utilize the genomes of historical specimens, sampled about 200 y ago. We found that the LTR retrotransposons Blood, Opus, and 412 spread in Drosophila melanogaster in the 19th century. These invasions constitute second waves, as degraded fragments were found for all three TEs. The composition of Opus and 412, but not of Blood, shows a pronounced geographic heterogeneity, likely due to founder effects during the invasions. Finally, we identified species from the Drosophila simulans complex as the likely origin of the TEs. We show that in total, seven TE families invaded D. melanogaster during the last 200 y, thereby increasing the genome size by up to 1.2 Mbp. We suggest that this high rate of TE invasions was likely triggered by human activity. Based on the analysis of strains and specimens sampled at different times, we provide a detailed timeline of TE invasions, making D. melanogaster the first organism where the invasion history of TEs during the last two centuries could be inferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selfish genetic elements comprise significant fractions of mammalian genomes. In rare instances, host genomes domesticate segments of these elements for function. Using a complete human genome assembly and 25 additional vertebrate genomes, we re-analyzed the evolutionary trajectories and functional potential of capsid (CA) genes domesticated from Metaviridae , a lineage of retrovirus-like retrotransposons. Our study expands on previous analyses to unearth several new insights about the evolutionary histories of these ancient genes. We find that at least five independent domestication events occurred from diverse Metaviridae , giving rise to three universally retained single-copy genes evolving under purifying selection and two gene families unique to placental mammals, with multiple members showing evidence of rapid evolution. In the SIRH/RTL family, we find diverse amino-terminal domains, widespread loss of protein-coding capacity in RTL10 despite its retention in several mammalian lineages, and differential utilization of an ancient programmed ribosomal frameshift in RTL3 between the domesticated CA and protease domains. Our analyses also reveal that most members of the PNMA family in mammalian genomes encode a conserved putative amino-terminal RNA-binding domain (RBD) both adjoining and independent from domesticated CA domains. Our analyses lead to a significant correction of previous annotations of the essential CCDC8 gene. We show that this putative RBD is also present in several extant Metaviridae, revealing a novel protein domain configuration in retrotransposons. Collectively, our study reveals the divergent outcomes of multiple domestication events from diverse Metaviridae in the common ancestor of placental mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons and non-LTR retrotransposons are two major repetitive components of eukaryotic genomes. Short intersperse elements (SINEs) are non-autonomous non-LTR retrotransposons with a sequence similar to small RNAs such as tRNA and 5S rRNA. Cassandra is a non-autonomous LTR retrotransposon with a 5S rRNA-like sequence in its LTRs. This observation led me to investigate the presence of non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons containing other small RNA sequences in their LTRs. Here, I discover and describe non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons Helenus and Ajax, with LTR regions of respective tRNA and 5S rRNA origin. Helenus and Ajax are likely mobilized by autonomous LTR retrotransposons. Helenus or Ajax are unlikely to encode a functional RNA. The finding of Helenus and Ajax confirms that non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons can be a source of small RNA-like interspersed sequences in the eukaryotic genomes. An understanding of their biology could contribute to the more precise prediction of small RNA genes and cellular RNA components as well as to the understanding of their evolutionary impacts. Terminal repeat retrotransposons in miniature (TRIMs) are short non-autonomous long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons found from various eukaryotes. Cassandra is a unique TRIM lineage which contains a 5S rRNA-derived sequence in its LTRs. Here, two new groups of TRIMs, designated Helenus and Ajax, are reported based on bioinformatics analysis and the usage of Repbase. Helenus is found from fungi, animals, and plants, and its LTRs contain a tRNA-like sequence. It includes two LTRs and between them, a primer-binding site (PBS) and polypurine tract (PPT) exist. Fungal and plant Helenus generate 5 bp target site duplications (TSDs) upon integration, while animal Helenus generates 4 bp TSDs. Ajax includes a 5S rRNA-derived sequence in its LTR and is found from two nemertean genomes. Ajax generates 5 bp TSDs upon integration. These results suggest that despite their unique promoters, Helenus and Ajax are TRIMs whose transposition is dependent on autonomous LTR retrotransposon. These TRIMs can originate through an insertion of SINE in an LTR of TRIM. The discovery of Helenus and Ajax suggests the presence of TRIMs with a promoter for RNA polymerase III derived from a small RNA gene, which is here collectively termed TRIMp3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are the major contributor to genome size expansion, as in the cases of the maize genome or the axolotl genome. Despite their impact on the genome size, the length of each retrotransposon is limited, compared to DNA transposons, which sometimes exceed over 100 kb. The longest LTR retrotransposon known to date is Burro‐1 from the planarian Schmidtea medierranea, which is around 35.7 kb long. Here through bioinformatics analysis, a new lineage of gigantic LTR retrotransposons, designated Daidara, is reported from the springtail Allacma fusca genome. Their entire length (25–33 kb) rivals Burro families, while their LTRs are shorter than 1.5 kb, in contrast to other gigantic LTR retrotransposon lineages Burro and Ogre, whose LTRs are around 5 kb long. Daidara encodes three core proteins corresponding to gag, pol, and an additional protein of unknown function. The phylogenetic analysis supports the independent gigantification of Daidara from Burro or Ogre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhododendron is well‐known for its beauty and colourful corolla. Although some high‐quality whole‐genome sequencing of it has been completed, there are few studies on long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in Rhododendron, which limits our ability to elucidate the causes of genetic variations in Rhododendron species.Properties of the intact Rhododendron LTR retrotransposons were investigated at a genome‐wide level. Based on available data, the high‐quality genomes from five species, i.e. R. griersonianum, R. simsii, R. henanense subsp. lingbaoense, R. mucronatum var. ripense and R. ovatum, were selected as targets with good assembly continuity.A total of 17,936 intact LTR retrotransposons were identified; these belong to superfamilies Copia and Gypsy, with 17 clades. The insertion time of these transposons was later than 120 million years ago (Mya), and the outbreak period was concentrated more recently than 30 Mya. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that many LTR retrotransposons might originate from intraspecific duplication. Current evidence also suggests that most LTR retrotransposons were inserted in the interstitial part of genes in R. griersonianum, R. simsii, R. henanense, and R. ovatum, and the functions of the inserted genes mainly involve starch metabolism, proteolysis, etc. The effect of the LTR retrotransposon on gene expression depends on its insertion site and activation. Highly expressed LTR retrotransposons tend to be younger.The results herein improve our knowledge of LTR retrotransposons in Rhododendron genomes and facilitate further study of genetic variation and trait evolution in Rhododendron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminal repeat retrotransposons in miniature (TRIMs) are short non-autonomous long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons found from various eukaryotes. Cassandra is a unique TRIM lineage which contains a 5S rRNA-derived sequence in its LTRs. Here, two new groups of TRIMs, designated Helenus and Ajax, are reported based on bioinformatics analysis and the usage of Repbase. Helenus is found from fungi, animals, and plants, and its LTRs contain a tRNA-like sequence. It includes two LTRs and between them, a primer-binding site (PBS) and polypurine tract (PPT) exist. Fungal and plant Helenus generate 5 bp target site duplications (TSDs) upon integration, while animal Helenus generates 4 bp TSDs. Ajax includes a 5S rRNA-derived sequence in its LTR and is found from two nemertean genomes. Ajax generates 5 bp TSDs upon integration. These results suggest that despite their unique promoters, Helenus and Ajax are TRIMs whose transposition is dependent on autonomous LTR retrotransposon. These TRIMs can originate through an insertion of SINE in an LTR of TRIM. The discovery of Helenus and Ajax suggests the presence of TRIMs with a promoter for RNA polymerase III derived from a small RNA gene, which is here collectively termed TRIMp3.

Retroviruses evolved from long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons by acquisition of envelope functions, and subsequently reinvaded host genomes. Together, endogenous retroviruses and LTR retrotransposons represent major components of animal, plant, and fungal genomes. Sequences from these elements have been exapted to perform essential host functions, including placental development, synaptic communication, and transcriptional regulation. They encode a Gag polypeptide, the capsid domains of which can oligomerize to form a virus-like particle. The structures of retroviral capsids have been extensively described. They assemble an immature viral particle through oligomerization of full-length Gag. Proteolytic cleavage of Gag results in a mature, infectious particle. In contrast, the absence of structural data on LTR retrotransposon capsids hinders our understanding of their function and evolutionary relationships. Here, we report the capsid morphology and structure of the archetypal Gypsy retrotransposon Ty3. We performed electron tomography (ET) of immature and mature Ty3 particles within cells. We found that, in contrast to retroviruses, these do not change size or shape upon maturation. Cryo-ET and cryo-electron microscopy of purified, immature Ty3 particles revealed an irregular fullerene geometry previously described for mature retrovirus core particles and a tertiary and quaternary arrangement of the capsid (CA) C-terminal domain within the assembled capsid that is conserved with mature HIV-1. These findings provide a structural basis for studying retrotransposon capsids, including those domesticated in higher organisms. They suggest that assembly via a structurally distinct immature capsid is a later retroviral adaptation, while the structure of mature assembled capsids is conserved between LTR retrotransposons and retroviruses.

The emergence of the placenta is a revolutionary event in the evolution of therian mammals, to which some LTR retroelement–derived genes, such as PEG10 , RTL1 , and syncytin, are known to contribute. However, therian genomes contain many more LTR retroelement–derived genes that may also have contributed to placental evolution. We conducted large-scale evolutionary genomic and transcriptomic analyses to comprehensively search for LTR retroelement–derived genes whose origination coincided with therian placental emergence and that became consistently expressed in therian placentae. We identified NYNRIN as another Ty3/Gypsy LTR retroelement–derived gene likely to contribute to placental emergence in the therian stem lineage. NYNRIN knockdown inhibited the invasion of HTR8/SVneo invasive-type trophoblasts, whereas the knockdown of its nonretroelement-derived homolog KHNYN did not. Functional enrichment analyses suggested that NYNRIN modulates trophoblast invasion by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and extracellular matrix remodeling and that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is responsible for the functional differences between NYNRIN and KHNYN. These findings extend our knowledge of the roles of LTR retroelement–derived genes in the evolution of therian mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are widespread in plant genomes and play a large role in the generation of genomic variation. Despite this, their identification and characterization remains challenging, especially for non-model genomes. Hence, LTR retrotransposons remain undercharacterized in Vaccinium genomes, although they may be beneficial for current berry breeding efforts. OBJECTIVE: Exemplarily focusing on the genome of American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton), we aim to generate an overview of the LTR retrotransposon landscape, highlighting the abundance, transcriptional activity, sequence, and structure of the major retrotransposon lineages. METHODS: Graph-based clustering of whole genome shotgun Illumina reads was performed to identify the most abundant LTR retrotransposons and to reconstruct representative in silico full-length elements. To generate insights into the LTR retrotransposon diversity in V. macrocarpon, we also queried the genome assembly for presence of reverse transcriptases (RTs), the key domain of LTR retrotransposons. Using transcriptomic data, transcriptional activity of retrotransposons corresponding to the consensuses was analyzed. RESULTS: We provide an in-depth characterization of the LTR retrotransposon landscape in the V. macrocarpon genome. Based on 475 RTs harvested from the genome assembly, we detect a high retrotransposon variety, with all major lineages present. To better understand their structural hallmarks, we reconstructed 26 Ty1-copia and 28 Ty3-gypsy in silico consensuses that capture the detected diversity. Accordingly, we frequently identify association with tandemly repeated motifs, extra open reading frames, and specialized, lineage-typical domains. Based on the overall high genomic abundance and transcriptional activity, we suggest that retrotransposons of the Ale and Athila lineages are most promising to monitor retrotransposon-derived polymorphisms across accessions. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that LTR retrotransposons are major components of the V. macrocarpon genome. The representative consensuses provide an entry point for further Vaccinium genome analyses and may be applied to derive molecular markers for enhancing cranberry selection and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both polyploidization and transposable element (TE) activity are known to be major drivers of plant genome evolution. Here, we utilize the Zea-Tripsacum clade to investigate TE activity and accumulation after a shared polyploidization event. Comparisons of TE evolutionary dynamics in various Zea and Tripsacum species, in addition to two closely related diploid species, Urelytrum digitatum and Sorghum bicolor, revealed variation in repeat content among all taxa included in the study. The repeat composition of Urelytrum is more similar to that of Zea and Tripsacum compared to Sorghum, despite the similarity in genome size with the latter. Although LTR-retrotransposons were abundant in all species, we observed an expansion of the copia superfamily, specifically in Z. mays and T. dactyloides, species that have adapted to more temperate environments. Additional analyses of the genomic distribution of these retroelements provided evidence of biased insertions near genes involved in various biological processes including plant development, defense, and macromolecule biosynthesis. Specifically, copia insertions in Zea and T. dactyloides were significantly enriched near genes involved in abiotic stress response, suggesting independent evolution post Zea-Tripsacum divergence. The lack of copia insertions near the orthologous genes in S. bicolor suggests that duplicate gene copies generated during polyploidization may offer novel neutral sites for TEs to insert, thereby providing an avenue for subfunctionalization via TE insertional mutagenesis.

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) contribute a large fraction of many sequenced plant genomes and play important roles in genomic diversity and phenotypic variations. LTR-RTs are abundantly distributed in plant genomes, facilitating the development of markers based on LTR-RTs for a variety of genotyping purposes. Whole-genome analysis of LTR-RTs was performed in Cleistogenes songorica. A total of 299,079 LTR-RTs were identified and classified as Gypsy type, Copia type, or other type. LTR-RTs were widely distributed in the genome, enriched in the heterochromatic region of the chromosome, and negatively correlated with gene distribution. However, approximately one-fifth of genes were still interrupted by LTR-RTs, and these genes are annotated. Furthermore, four types of primer pairs (PPs) were designed, namely, retrotransposon-based insertion polymorphisms, inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms, insertion site–based polymorphisms, and retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphisms. A total of 350 PPs were screened in 23 accessions of the genus Cleistogenes, of which 80 PPs showed polymorphism, and 72 PPs showed transferability among Gramineae and non-Gramineae species. In addition, a comparative analysis of homologous LTR-RTs was performed with other related grasses. Taken together, the study will serve as a valuable resource for genotyping applications for C. songorica and related grasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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LTR retrotransposons comprise a major component of the genomes of eukaryotes. On occasion, retrotransposon genes can be recruited by their hosts for diverse functions, a process formally referred to as co-option. However, a comprehensive picture of LTR retrotransposon gag gene co-option in eukaryotes is still lacking, with several documented cases exclusively involving Ty3/Gypsy retrotransposons in animals. Here, we use a phylogenomic approach to systemically unearth co-option of retrotransposon gag genes above the family level of taxonomy in 2,011 eukaryotes, namely co-option occurring during the deep evolution of eukaryotes. We identify a total of 14 independent gag gene co-option events across more than 740 eukaryote families, eight of which have not been reported previously. Among these retrotransposon gag gene co-option events, nine, four, and one involve gag genes of Ty3/Gypsy, Ty1/Copia, and Bel-Pao retrotransposons, respectively. Seven, four, and three co-option events occurred in animals, plants, and fungi, respectively. Interestingly, two co-option events took place in the early evolution of angiosperms. Both selective pressure and gene expression analyses further support that these co-opted gag genes might perform diverse cellular functions in their hosts, and several co-opted gag genes might be subject to positive selection. Taken together, our results provide a comprehensive picture of LTR retrotransposon gag gene co-option events that occurred during the deep evolution of eukaryotes and suggest paucity of LTR retrotransposon gag gene co-option during the deep evolution of eukaryotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Annotation of plant genomes is still a challenging task due to the abundance of repetitive sequences, especially long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. LTR_FINDER is a widely used program for the identification of LTR retrotransposons but its application on large genomes is hindered by its single-threaded processes. Here we report an accessory program that allows parallel operation of LTR_FINDER, resulting in up to 8500X faster identification of LTR elements. It takes only 72 min to process the 14.5 Gb bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome in comparison to 1.16 years required by the original sequential version. LTR_FINDER_parallel is freely available at https://github.com/oushujun/LTR_FINDER_parallel.

Both polyploidization and transposable element (TE) activity are known to be major drivers of plant genome evolution. Here, we utilize the Zea-Tripsacum clade to investigate TE activity and accumulation after a shared polyploidization event. Comparisons of TE evolutionary dynamics in various Zea and Tripsacum species, in addition to two closely related diploid species, Urelytrum digitatum and Sorghum bicolor, revealed variation in repeat content among all taxa included in the study. The repeat composition of Urelytrum is more similar to that of Zea and Tripsacum compared to Sorghum, despite the similarity in genome size with the latter. Although LTR-retrotransposons were abundant in all species, we observed an expansion of the copia superfamily, specifically in Z. mays and T. dactyloides, species that have adapted to more temperate environments. Additional analyses of the genomic distribution of these retroelements provided evidence of biased insertions near genes involved in various biological processes including plant development, defense, and macromolecule biosynthesis. Specifically, copia insertions in Zea and T. dactyloides were significantly enriched near genes involved in abiotic stress response, suggesting independent evolution post Zea-Tripsacum divergence. The lack of copia insertions near the orthologous genes in S. bicolor suggests that duplicate gene copies generated during polyploidization may offer novel neutral sites for TEs to insert, thereby providing an avenue for subfunctionalization via TE insertional mutagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent mutations recovered recently from the pollen of select maize lines resulted from the meiotic mobilization of specific low-copy number long-terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, which differ among lines. Mutations that arise at male meiosis produce kernels with concordant mutant phenotypes in both endosperm and embryo because the two sperms that participate in double fertilization are genetically identical. Those are in a majority. However, a small minority of kernels with a mutant endosperm carry a nonconcordant normal embryo, pointing to a postmeiotic or microgametophytic origin. In this study, we have identified the basis for those nonconcordant mutations. We find that all are produced by transposition of a defective LTR retrotransposon that we have termed dRemp (defective retroelement mobile in pollen). This element has several unique properties. Unlike the mutagenic LTR retrotransposons identified previously, dRemp is present in hundreds of copies in all sequenced lines. It seems to transpose only at the second pollen mitosis because all dRemp insertion mutants are nonconcordant yet recoverable in either the endosperm or the embryo. Although it does not move in most lines, dRemp is highly mobile in the Corn Belt inbred M14, identified earlier by breeders as being highly unstable. Lastly, it can be recovered in an array of structures, ranging from solo LTRs to tandem dRemp repeats containing several internal LTRs, suggestive of extensive recombination during retrotransposition. These results shed further light on the spontaneous mutation process and on the possible basis for inbred instability in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most extensively used genetic model organisms for studying LTR retrotransposons that are represented by various groups in its genome. However, the phenomenon of molecular domestication of LTR retrotransposons has been insufficiently studied in Drosophila, as well as in other invertebrates. The present work is devoted to studying the role of the domesticated gag gene, Gagr, in the Drosophila genome. The Gagr gene has been shown to be involved in the response to stress caused by exposure to ammonium persulfate, but not in the stress response to oligomycin A, zeomycin, and cadmium chloride. Ammonium persulfate tissue specifically activates the expression of Gagr in the tissues of the carcass, but not in the gut. We found that the Gagr gene promoter contains one binding motif for the transcription factor kayak, a component of the JNK signaling pathway, and two binding motifs for the transcription factor Stat92E, a component of the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. Remarkably, Gagr orthologs contain the second binding motif for Stat92E only in D. melanogaster, D. simulans and D. sechellia, whereas in D. yakuba and D. erecta, Gagr orthologs contain a single motif, and there are no binding sites for Stat92E in the promoters of Gagr orthologs in D. ananassae and in species outside the melanogaster group. The data obtained indicate the formation of the protective function of the Gagr gene during evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrotransposons (RTNs) are a major source of genomic changes in plant genomes and, therefore, are extensively used as ideal molecular markers for genetic variability, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic mapping studies in plant species. In the present study, two RTNbased marker systems, inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms (IRAPs), and the retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphisms (REMAPs) were used to assess genetic variability and structure in a collection of 94 durum wheat genotypes. In general, 63 and 141 loci were amplified using 6 IRAP and 15 REMAP primers, respectively. Percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL) in the studied collection for IRAP and REMAP markers were 47.15% and 47.81%, respectively. The average of expected heterozygosity (He), number of effective alleles (Ne), and Shannon's information index (I), separately estimated based on IRAP and REMAP data, were not considerably different. A model-based Bayesian method and cluster analysis using Neighbor joining (NJ) algorithm depicted five clusters. A moderate level of inter-group genetic variability was detected among the clusters (11%) obtained from STRUCTUR software (PhiPT =0.111; P=0.001) with the vast majority of variation (89%) still uncaptured within groups. Most of the accessions and landraces from Iran aggregated together in clusters I and III with the cultivars from Turkey. Also, Iranian and foreign durum wheat landraces were assigned to different clusters or subpopulations in both clustering methods. In conclusion, the results showed that the genetic diversity of Iranian durum wheat is low and it is necessary to extend the genetic base of durum wheat germplasm in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciation of the genus Citrus from a common ancestor has recently been established to begin ∼8 Ma during the late Miocene, a period of major climatic alterations. Here, we report the changes in activity of Citrus LTR retrotransposons during the process of diversification that gave rise to the current Citrus species. To reach this goal, we analyzed four pure species that diverged early during Citrus speciation, three recent admixtures derived from those species and an outgroup of the Citrus clade. More than 30,000 retrotransposons were grouped in ten linages. Estimations of LTR insertion times revealed that retrotransposon activity followed a species-specific pattern of change that could be ascribed to one of three different models. In some genomes, the expected pattern of gradual transposon accumulation was suddenly arrested during the radiation of the ancestor that gave birth to the current Citrus species. The individualized analyses of retrotransposon lineages showed that in each and every species studied, not all lineages follow the general pattern of the species itself. For instance, in most of the genomes, the retrotransposon activity of elements from the SIRE lineage reached its highest level just before Citrus speciation, while for Retrofit elements, it has been steadily growing. Based on these observations, we propose that C itrus retrotransposons may respond to stressful conditions driving speciation as a part of the genetic response involved in adaptation. This proposal implies that the evolving conditions of each species interact with the internal regulatory mechanisms of the genome controlling the proliferation of mobile elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While horizontally transferred transposable elements (TEs) have been reported in several groups of plants, their importance for genome evolution remains poorly understood. To understand how horizontally transferred TEs contribute to plant genome evolution, we investigated the composition and activity of horizontally transferred TEs in the genomes of four Vitis species. A total of 35 horizontal transfer (HT) events were identified between the four Vitis species and 21 other plant species belonging to 14 different families. We determined the donor and recipient species for 28 of these HTs, with the Vitis species being recipients of 15 of them. As a result of HTs, 8–10 LTR retrotransposon clusters were newly formed in the genomes of the four Vitis species. The activities of the horizontally acquired LTR retrotransposons differed among Vitis species, showing that the consequences of HTs vary during the diversification of the recipient lineage. Our study provides the first evidence that the HT of TEs contributes to the diversification of plant genomes by generating additional TE subfamilies and causing their differential proliferation in host genomes.

Abstract Background Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are major components of plant genomes. Common LTR-RTs contain the palindromic dinucleotide 5′-‘TG’–‘CA’-3′ motif at the ends. Thus, further analyses of non-canonical LTR-RTs with non-palindromic motifs will enhance our understanding of their structures and evolutionary history. Results Here, we report two new LTR-RT subfamilies (TGTT and AACA) with atypical dinucleotide ends of 5′-‘TG’–‘TT’-3′, and 5′-‘AA’–‘CA’-3′ in pear, apple, peach and mei. In total, 91 intact LTR-RTs were identified and classified into four TGTT and four AACA families. A structural annotation analysis showed that the four TGTT families, together with AACA1 and AACA2, belong to the Copia-like superfamily, whereas AACA3 and AACA4 appeared to be TRIM elements. The average amplification time frames for the eight families ranged from 0.05 to 2.32 million years. Phylogenetics coupled with sequence analyses revealed that the TGTT1 elements of peach were horizontally transferred from apple. In addition, 32 elements from two TGTT and three AACA families had detectable transcriptional activation, and a qRT-PCR analysis indicated that their expression levels varied dramatically in different species, organs and stress treatments. Conclusions Two novel LTR-RT subfamilies that terminated with non-palindromic dinucleotides at the ends of their LTRs were identified in four Rosaceae species, and a deep analysis showed their recent activity, horizontal transfer and varied transcriptional levels in different species, organs and stress treatments. This work enhances our understanding of the structural variation and evolutionary history of LTR-RTs in plants and also provides a valuable resource for future investigations of LTR-RTs having specific structures in other species.

Transposable elements (TEs) constitute the most abundant portions of plant genomes and can dramatically shape host genomes during plant evolution. They also play important roles in crop domestication. However, whether TEs themselves are also selected during crop domestication has remained unknown. Here, we identify an active long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon, HUO , as a potential target of selection during rice domestication and breeding. HUO is a low-copy-number LTR retrotransposon, and is active under natural growth conditions and transmitted through male gametogenesis, preferentially inserting into genomic regions capable of transcription. HUO exists in all wild rice accessions and about half of the archaeological rice grains (1200–7000 years ago) and landraces surveyed, but is absent in almost all modern varieties, indicating its gradual elimination during rice domestication and breeding. Further analyses showed that HUO is subjected to strict gene silencing through the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway. Our results also suggest that multiple HUO copies may trigger genomic instability through altering genome-wide DNA methylation and small RNA biogenesis and changing global gene expression, resulting in decreased disease resistance and yield, coinciding with its elimination during rice breeding. Together, our study suggests that negative selection of an active retrotransposon might be important for genome stability during crop domestication and breeding. An active LTR retrotransposon was gradually removed during rice domestication and breeding from the genome because its transposition could trigger genome turbulence, and affect yield and disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of genetic diversity and population structure in bread wheat is an essential step in their conservation, utilization, and breeding. Retrotransposons are ubiquitous and abundant a throughout the plant genomes, therefore extensively used as ideal molecular markers for genetic variability, DNA fingerprinting and genetic mapping studies in plant species. In the current research, we used two retrotransposon-based marker systems, inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms (IRAPs), and the retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphisms (REMAPs) markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and survey activity of long terminal repeat retrotransposon (LTR-retrotransposon) elements in a collection of 49 bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars that mainly bred in Iran. In general, 90 and 126 loci were amplified using 9 IRAP and 20 REMAP primers, respectively. Both techniques produced a satisfactory number of bands for cultivar analysis; however, the technique IRAP, particularly single primer Nikita generated a large number of bands, indicating the wide activity of Nikita family under various environmental conditions of bread wheat. The percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL) in the studied collection for IRAP and REMAP markers was 81.78 and 86.40%, respectively. A model-based Bayesian method, Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and cluster analysis using Minimum Evolution (ME) algorithm hinted of the existence of two groups. This grouping was in agreement with the growing season and conformed by the high within-group bootstrap value. These results demonstrated that these markers developed using transpositionally active retrotransposons (RTNs) are efficient and reliable markers in determining level of genetic diversity and population structure in bread wheat in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While studying spontaneous mutations at the maize bronze (bz) locus, we made the unexpected discovery that specific low-copy number retrotransposons are mobile in the pollen of some maize lines, but not of others. We conducted large-scale genetic experiments to isolate new bz mutations from several Bz stocks and recovered spontaneous stable mutations only in the pollen parent in reciprocal crosses. Most of the new stable bz mutations resulted from either insertions of low-copy number long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons or deletions, the same two classes of mutations that predominated in a collection of spontaneous wx mutations [Wessler S (1997) The Mutants of Maize, pp 385-386]. Similar mutations were recovered at the closely linked sh locus. These events occurred with a frequency of 2-4 × 10-5 in two lines derived fromW22 and in 4Co63, but not at all in B73 or Mo17, two inbreds widely represented in Corn Belt hybrids. Surprisingly, the mutagenic LTR retrotransposons differed in the active lines, suggesting differences in the autonomous element make-up of the lines studied. Some active retrotransposons, like Hopscotch, Magellan, and Bs2, a Bs1 variant, were described previously; others, like Foto and Focou in 4Co63, were not. By high-throughput sequencing of retrotransposon junctions, we established that retrotranposition of Hopscotch, Magellan, and Bs2 occurs genome-wide in the pollen of active lines, but not in the female germline or in somatic tissues. We discuss here the implications of these results, which shed light on the source, frequency, and nature of spontaneous mutations in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid weakness is a post-zygotic hybridization barrier frequently observed in plants, including rice. In this study, we describe the genomic variation among three temperate japonica rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica) varieties 'Aranghyangchalbyeo' ('CH7'), ' Sanghaehyangheolua' ('CH8') and ' Shinseonchalbyeo' ('CH9'), carrying different hybrid weakness genes. The reciprocal progeny obtained from crossing any two varieties displayed characteristic hybrid weakness traits. We mapped and cloned a new locus, Hwc3 (hybrid weakness 3), on chromosome 4. Sequence analysis identified that a long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon was inserted into the promoter region of the Hwc3 gene in 'CH7'. A 4-kb DNA fragment from 'CH7' containing the Hwc3 gene with the inserted LTR retrotransposon was able to induce hybrid weakness in hybrids with 'CH8' plants carrying the Hwc1 gene by genetic complementation. We investigated the differential gene expression profile of F1 plants exhibiting hybrid weakness and detected that the genes associated with energy metabolism were significantly down-regulated compared with the parents. Based on our results, we propose that LTR retrotransposons could be a potential cause of hybrid weakness in intrasubspecific hybrids in japonica rice. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying intrasubspecific hybrid weakness is important for increasing our knowledge on reproductive isolation and could have significant implications for rice improvement and hybrid breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Frequent somatic variations exist in pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) plants grown under abiotic stress conditions. Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons can be activated under stressful conditions and play key roles in plant genetic variation and evolution. However, whether LTR retrotransposons promotes pitaya somatic variations by regulating abiotic stress responses is still uncertain. In this study, transcriptionally active LTR retrotransposons were identified in pitaya after exposure to a number of stress factors, including in vitro culturing, osmotic changes, extreme temperatures and hormone treatments. In total, 26 LTR retrotransposon reverse transcriptase (RT) cDNA sequences were isolated and identified as belonging to 9 Ty1- copia and 4 Ty3- gypsy families. Several RT cDNA sequences had differing similarity levels with RT s from pitaya genomic DNA and other plant species, and were differentially expressed in pitaya under various stress conditions. LTR retrotransposons accounted for at least 13.07% of the pitaya genome. HuTy1P4 had a high copy number and low expression level in young stems of pitaya, and its expression level increased after exposure to hormones and abiotic stresses, including in vitro culturing, osmotic changes, cold and heat. HuTy1P4 may have been subjected to diverse transposon events in 13 pitaya plantlets successively subcultured for four cycles. Thus, the expression levels of these retrotransposons in pitaya were associated with stress responses and may be involved in the occurrence of the somaclonal variation in pitaya. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Pitaya LTR retrotransposons were differentially activated by several stress factors. • LTR retrotransposons accounted for at least 13.07% of the pitaya genome. • HuTy1P4 was involved in the occurrence of the somaclonal variation in pitaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annotation of plant genomes is still a challenging task due to the abundance of repetitive sequences, especially long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. LTR_FINDER is a widely used program for the identification of LTR retrotransposons but its application on large genomes is hindered by its single-threaded processes. Here we report an accessory program that allows parallel operation of LTR_FINDER, resulting in up to 8500X faster identification of LTR elements. It takes only 72 min to process the 14.5 Gb bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome in comparison to 1.16 years required by the original sequential version. LTR_FINDER_parallel is freely available at https://github.com/oushujun/LTR_FINDER_parallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous retroviruses are relics of ancient infections from retroviruses that managed to integrate into the genome of germline cells and remained vertically transmitted from parent to progeny. Subsequent to the endogenization process, these sequences can move and multiply in the host genome, which can have deleterious consequences and disturb genomic stability. Natural selection favored the establishment of silencing pathways that protect host genomes from the activity of endogenous retroviruses. RNA silencing mechanisms are involved, which utilize piRNAs. The response to exogenous viral infections uses siRNAs, a class of small RNAs that are generated via a distinct biogenesis pathway from piRNAs. However, interplay between both pathways has been identified, and interactions with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal immune responses are also suspected. This review focuses on Diptera (Arthropods) and intends to compile pieces of evidence showing that the RNA silencing pathway of endogenous retrovirus regulation is not independent from immunity and the response to infections. This review will consider the mechanisms that allow the lasting coexistence of viral sequences and host genomes from an evolutionary perspective.

Retrotransposons are major components of eukaryotic genomes and are present in high copy numbers. We developed retrotransposon-based insertion polymorphism (RBIP) markers based on long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences and flanking genome regions by using shotgun genome sequence data of mango ( Mangifera indica L.). Three novel LTR sequences were identified based on two LTR retrotransposon structural features; a 5′ LTR located upstream of the primer binding site and a 3′ LTR showing high sequence similarity to the 5′ LTR. Starting with 377 unique sequences containing both 3′ LTR and downstream genome region sequences, we developed 82 RBIP markers that were applied to DNA fingerprinting of 16 mango accession. Five RBIP markers were enough to distinguish all 16 accessions. Our result showed that LTR identification from shotgun genome sequences was effective for development of retrotransposon-based DNA markers without whole-genome sequence information. We discuss application of the developed RBIP markers for identification of genetic diversity and construction of a genetic linkage map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of the genome of most eukaryotic organisms consists of highly repetitive mobile genetic elements. The sum of these elements is called the “mobilome,” which in eukaryotes is made up mostly of transposons. Transposable elements contribute to disease, evolution, and normal physiology by mediating genetic rearrangement, and through the “domestication” of transposon proteins for cellular functions. Although ‘omics studies of mobilome genomes and transcriptomes are common, technical challenges have hampered high-throughput global proteomics analyses of transposons. In a recent paper, we overcame these technical hurdles using a technique called “proteomics informed by transcriptomics” (PIT), and thus published the first unbiased global mobilome-derived proteome for any organism (using cell lines derived from the mosquitoAedes aegypti). In this commentary, we describe our methods in more detail, and summarise our major findings. We also use new genome sequencing data to show that, in many cases, the specific genomic element expressing a given protein can be identified using PIT. This proteomic technique therefore represents an important technological advance that will open new avenues of research into the role that proteins derived from transposons and other repetitive and sequence diverse genetic elements, such as endogenous retroviruses, play in health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Autonomous retrotransposons, in which replication and transcription are coupled, encode the essential gag and pol genes as a fusion or separate overlapping form(s) that are expressed in single transcripts regulated by a common upstream promoter. The element-specific expression strategies have driven development of relevant translational recoding mechanisms including ribosomal frameshifting to satisfy the protein stoichiometry critical for the assembly of infectious virus-like particles. Retrotransposons with different recoding strategies exhibit a mosaic distribution pattern across the diverse families of reverse transcribing elements, even though their respective distributions are substantially skewed towards certain family groups. However, only a few investigations to date have focused on the emergence of retrotransposons evolving novel expression strategy and causal genetic drivers of the structural variants. In this study, the bulk of genomic and transcribed sequences of a Ty3/gypsy -like CsRn1 retrotransposon in Clonorchis sinensis were analyzed for the comprehensive examination of its expression strategy. Our results demonstrated that structural variants with single open reading frame (ORF) have recurrently emerged from precedential CsRn1 copies encoding overlapping gag - pol ORFs by a single-nucleotide insertion in an upstream region of gag stop codon. In the parasite genome, some of the newly evolved variants appeared to undergo proliferative burst as active master lineages together with their ancestral copies. The genetic event was similarly observed in Opisthorchis viverrini , the closest neighbor of C. sinensis , whereas the resulting structural variants might have failed to overcome purifying selection and comprised minor remnant copies in the Opisthorchis genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons constitute the majority of the content of angiosperm genomes, but their evolutionary dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a putative full-length (~9550 bp) Ty1/copia-like retrotransposon in Excoecaria agallocha and its evolution in Euphorbiaceae. The so-called EARE-1 is phylogenetically closely related to RIRE-1 from Oryza australiensis, and has proliferated recently (~7.19 Mya) in the E. agallocha genome. An RT-PCR analysis revealed substantial transcription of EARE-1 in all examined organs (leaves, staminate flowers, pistillate flowers, seeds, and roots) in unstressed E. agallocha plants and indications of elevated expression under stress. We conducted sequence analyses of 256 RT-RH fragments (~860 bp) of EARE-1 from 34 species representing four subfamilies of Euphorbiaceae that exist in China. EARE-1 copies from two Excoecaria species and Phyllanthus urinaria showed incongruent phylogeny with the host species and exhibited high sequence similarity to the host genes, suggesting a horizontal transfer from P. urinaria to the common ancestor of Excoecaria. However, SSAP analysis detected no new insertions of EARE-1 among full-sibling progeny plants of E. agallocha, despite considerable SSAP polymorphisms among half-siblings. EARE-1 is the first transcriptionally active Ty1/copia-like retrotransposon isolated from E. agallocha. Our results provide empirical evidence of the horizontal transfer of LTR retrotransposons in plants, and may suggest a significant role of post-transcriptional host control in the life cycles of transposable elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: LTR retrotransposons contribute approximately 10 % of the mammalian genome, but it has been previously reported that there is a deficit of these elements in the chicken relative to both mammals and other birds. A novel LTR retrotransposon classification pipeline, LocaTR, was developed and subsequently utilised to re-examine the chicken LTR retrotransposon annotation, and determine if the proposed chicken deficit is biologically accurate or simply a technical artefact. Results: Using LocaTR 3.01 % of the chicken galGal4 genome assembly was annotated as LTR retrotransposon-derived elements (nearly double the previous annotation), including 1,073 that were structurally intact. Element distribution is significantly correlated with chromosome size and is non-random within each chromosome. Elements are significantly depleted within coding regions and enriched in gene sparse areas of the genome. Over 40 % of intact elements are found in clusters, unrelated by age or genera, generally in poorly recombining regions. The transcription of most LTR retrotransposons were suppressed or incomplete, but individual domain and full length retroviral transcripts were produced in some cases, although mostly with regularly interspersed stop codons in all reading frames. Furthermore, RNAseq data from 23 diverse tissues enabled greater characterisation of the co-opted endogenous retrovirus Ovex1. This gene was shown to be expressed ubiquitously but at variable levels across different tissues. LTR retrotransposon content was found to be very variable across the avian lineage and did not correlate with either genome size or phylogenetic position. However, the extent of previous, species-specific LTR retrotransposon annotation appears to be a confounding factor. Conclusions: Use of the novel LocaTR pipeline has nearly doubled the annotated LTR retrotransposon content of the chicken genome compared to previous estimates. Further analysis has described element distribution, clustering patterns and degree of expression in a variety of adult tissues, as well as in three embryonic stages. This study also enabled better characterisation of the co-opted gamma retroviral envelope gene Ovex1. Additionally, this work suggests that there is no deficit of LTR retrotransposons within the Galliformes relative to other birds, or to mammalian genomes when scaled for the three-fold difference in genome size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Environmental stress-induced transgenerational epigenetic effects have been observed in various model organisms and human. The capacity and mechanism of such phenomena are poorly understood. In C. elegans, siRNA mediates transgenerational gene silencing through the germline nuclear RNAi pathway. This pathway is also required to maintain the germline immortality when C. elegans is under heat stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we investigated the impact of heat stress on chromatin, transcription, and siRNAs at the whole-genome level, and whether any of the heat-induced effects is transgenerationally heritable in either the wild-type or the germline nuclear RNAi mutant animals. Results: We performed 12-generation temperature-shift experiments using the wild-type C. elegans and a mutant strain that lacks the germline-specific nuclear Argonaute protein HRDE-1/WAGO-9. By examining the mRNA, small RNA, RNA polymerase II, and H3K9 trimethylation profiles at the whole-genome level, we revealed an epigenetic role of HRDE-1 in repressing heat stress-induced transcriptional activation of over 280 genes. Many of these genes are in or near LTR (long-terminal repeat) retrotransposons. Strikingly, for some of these genes, the heat stress-induced transcriptional activation in the hrde-1 mutant intensifies in the late generations under the heat stress and is heritable for at least two generations after the mutant animals are shifted back to lower temperature. hrde-1 mutation also leads to siRNA expression changes of many genes. This effect on siRNA is dependent on both the temperature and generation. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that a large number of the endogenous targets of the germline nuclear RNAi pathway in C. elegans are sensitive to heat-induced transcriptional activation. This effect at certain genomic loci including LTR retrotransposons is transgenerational. Germline nuclear RNAi antagonizes this temperature effect at the transcriptional level and therefore may play a key role in heat stress response in C. elegans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrotransposons with long terminal repeats (LTRs) are the most abundant transposable elements in plant genomes. A novel LTR retrotransposon named RTPOSON primarily occurs in the genus Oryza and in several species of the Poaceae family. RTPOSON has been identified in the Ty1-copia group of retrotransposons because two of its open reading frames encode an uncharacterized protein and UBN2_2 and zinc knuckle, respectively. More than 700 RTPOSONs were identified in Oryza genomes; 127 RTPOSONs with LTRs and gag-pol elements were classified into three subgroups. The subgroup RTPOSON_sub3 had the smallest DNA size and 97% (32/33) of RTPOSON elements from Oryza punctata are classified in this group. The insertion time of these RTPOSONs varied and their proliferation occurred within the last 8 Mya, with two bursting periods within the last 1.5-5.0 Mya. A total of 37 different orthologous insertions of RTPOSONs, with different nested transposable elements and gene fragments, were identified by comparing the genomes of ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare and ssp. indica cv. 93-11. A part of intact RTPOSON elements was evolved independently after the divergence of indica and japonica. In addition, intact RTPOSONs and homologous fragments were preferentially retained or integrated in genic regions. This novel LTR retrotransposon, RTPOSON, might have an impact on genome evolution, genic innovation, and genetic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small RNAs are involved in a plethora of functions in plant genomes. In general, transcriptional gene silencing is mediated by 24-nucleotide siRNAs and is required for maintaining transposable elements in a silenced state. However, microRNAs are not commonly associated with transposon silencing. In this study, we performed small RNA transcriptome and degradome analyses of the Rosaceae model plant Fragaria vesca (the woodland strawberry) at the genome-wide level, and identified miRNA families and their targets. We report a highly specific mechanism of LTR retrotransposon silencing mediated by an abundant, ubiquitously expressed miRNA (fve-miR1511) generated from a single locus. This miRNA specifically targets LTR retroelements, silencing them post-transcriptionally by perfectly pairing to the highly conserved primer binding site for methionyl initiator tRNA that is essential for reverse transcription. We investigated the possible origins of this miRNA, and present evidence that the pre-miR1511 hairpin structure probably derived from a locus coding for tRNAiMet through a single microinversion event. Our study shows that this miRNA targets retrotransposons specifically and constitutively, and contributes to features such as genome stability, size and architecture in a far more direct way than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trichomes, developed from the protodermal cells (the outermost cell layer of the embryo), are hairlike structures covering the aerial parts of plants. The genetic network regulating trichome development has been extensively studied and well understood in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, which bears unicellular, nonglandular and branched trichomes. However, little is known about the genetic and molecular basis of organogenesis of multi-cellular trichomes in plant species like cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), which are likely different from Arabidopsis. Results: We identified a new trichome mutant in cucumber which exhibited a completely glabrous phenotype on all aerial organs. Genetic analysis indicated that the glabrous phenotype was inherited as a single recessive gene, csgl3. Fine genetic mapping delimited the csgl3 locus into a 68.4 kb region with 12 predicted genes. Genetic analysis, sequence alignment and allelic variation survey in natural populations identified Csa6G514870 encoding a class IV homeodomain-associated leucine zipper (HD-ZIP) transcription factor as the only candidate for CsGL3, which was 5188 bp in length with 10 predicted exons. Gene expression analysis revealed the loss-of-function of CsGL3 in the mutant due to the insertion of a 5-kb long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon in the 4th exon of CsGL3. Linkage analysis in a segregating population and gene expression analysis of the CsGL1 and CsGL3 genes in csgl1, csgl3, and csgl1 + 3 genetic backgrounds uncovered interactions between the two genes. Phylogenetic analysis among 28 class IV HD-ZIP protein sequences from five species placed cucumber CsGL3 into the same clade with 7 other members that play important roles in trichome initiation. Conclusions: The new glabrous mutation in cucumber was controlled by a single recessive locus csgl3, which was phenotypically and genetically distinct from two previously reported glabrous mutants csgl1 and csgl2. The glabrous phenotype in csgl3 was due to insertion of an autonomous, active, class I transposable element in CsGL3, a class IV HD-ZIP transcription factor. CsGL3 was epistatic to CsGL1. CsGL3 seemed to play important roles in cucumber trichome initiation whereas CsGL1 may act downstream in the trichome development pathway(s). Findings from the present study provide new insights into genetic control of trichome development in cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The database of Candida albicans genome was screened to investigate the relationship between tRNA genes and retrotransposons. The results showed that, among 34 distinct families of LTR retrotransposons identified, only the beta element appeared to preferentially integrate near the tRNA genes. Specific site selection of the beta LTRs may have arisen from a coevolution process in which the host’s genome used to control their transposition. It is possible that, due to this coevolution mechanism, integration of the beta elements become mutualistic, although not proven, to the C. albicans genome by acting as a modulator in tRNA gene transcription.

In this study, the database of Candida albicans genome was screened to investigate the relationship between tRNA genes and retrotransposons. The results showed that, among 34 distinct families of LTR retrotransposons identified, only the beta element appeared to preferentially integrate near the tRNA genes. Specific site selection of the beta LTRs may be arisen from a coevolution process in which the host’s genome used to control their transposition. It is possible that, due to this coevolution mechanism, integration of the beta elements become mutualistic, although not proven, to the C. albicans genome by acting as a modulator in tRNA gene transcription.

Long Terminal Repeat retroelements (LTR-RTs) are a major component of many plant genomes. Although well studied and described in angiosperms, their features and dynamics are poorly understood in gymnosperms. Representative complete copies of a Ty1- copia element isolate in Picea abies and named PARTC were identified in six other conifer species ( Picea glauca , Pinus sylvestris , Pinus taeda , Abies sibirica , Taxus baccata and Juniperus communis ) covering more than 200 million years of evolution. Here we characterized the structure of this element, assessed its abundance across conifers, studied the modes and timing of its amplification, and evaluated the degree of conservation of its extant copies at nucleotide level over distant species. We demonstrated that the element is ancient, abundant, widespread and its paralogous copies are present in the genera Picea , Pinus and Abies as an LTR-RT family. The amplification leading to the extant copies of PARTC occurred over long evolutionary times spanning 10 s of MY and mostly took place after the speciation of the conifers analyzed. The level of conservation of PARTC is striking and may be explained by low substitution rates and limited removal mechanisms for LTR-RTs. These PARTC features and dynamics are representative of a more general scenario for LTR-RTs in gymnosperms quite different from that characterizing the vast majority of LTR-RT elements in angiosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genomes of eukaryotes vary enormously in size, with much of this diversity driven by differences in the abundances of transposable elements (TEs). There is also substantial structural and phylogenetic diversity among TEs, such that they can be classified into distinct classes, superfamilies, and families. Possible relationships between TE diversity (and not just abundance) and genome size have not been investigated to date, though there are reasons to expect either a positive or a negative correlation. This study compares data from 257 species of animals, plants, fungi, and "protists" to determine whether TE diversity at the superfamily level is related to genome size. Results: No simple relationship was found between TE diversity and genome size. There is no significant correlation across all eukaryotes, but there is a positive correlation for genomes below 500Mbp and a negative correlation among land plants. No relationships were found across animals or within vertebrates. Some TE superfamilies tend to be present across all major groups of eukaryotes, but there is considerable variance in TE diversity in different taxa. Conclusions: Differences in genome size are thought to arise primarily through accumulation of TEs, but beyond a certain point (~500 Mbp), TE diversity does not increase with genome size. Several possible explanations for these complex patterns are discussed, and recommendations to facilitate future analyses are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]