Abstract
P elements are transposable elements found in P strain, but usually not in M strain, Drosophila melanogaster, and are responsible for the hybrid dysgenesis that occurs when male D. melanogaster of the P strain mate with females of the M strain (ref. 1 and references therein). Several P elements, which vary in length and genetic effects, have now been cloned2. To investigate the evolutionary origin of P elements, we have used a cloned copy of a D. melanogaster P element to look for related sequences in the genomes of six other Drosophila species. We report here that, unlike many other transposable elements found in D. melanogaster, which seem also to be present in other Drosophila species3–6, we have found no sequences closely enough related to P elements to be detected by DNA hybridization in any other Drosophila species. This result supports the hypothesis that P elements have recently invaded D. melanogaster by horizontal transmission.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Engels, W. R. A. Rev. Genet. 17, 315–344 (1983).
O'Hare, K. & Rubin, G. M. Cell 34, 25–35 (1983).
Martin, G., Wiernasz, D. & Schedl, P. J. molec. Evol. 19, 203–213 (1983).
Dowsett, A. & Young, M. W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 4570–4574 (1982).
Dowsett, A. P. Chromosoma 88, 104–108 (1983).
Young, M. W. & Schwartz, H. E. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 45, 629–640 (1981).
Young, M. W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6274–6278 (1979).
Shiba, T. & Saigo, K. Nature 302, 119–124 (1983).
Bingham, P. M. & Judd, B. H. Cell 25, 704–711 (1981).
Modolell, J., Bender, W. & Meselson, M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 1678–1682 (1983).
Bingham, P. M., Levis, R. & Rubin, G. M. Cell 25, 692–704 (1981).
McDonell, M. W., Simon, M. N. & Studier, F. W. J. molec. Biol. 110, 119–146 (1977).
Wahl, G. M., Stern, M. & Stark, G. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 3683–3687 (1979).
Rigby, P. W. J., Dieckmann, M., Rhodes, C. & Berg, P. J. molec. Biol. 113, 237–251 (1977).
Engels, W. R. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 45, 561–565 (1981).
Kidwell, M. G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 1655–1659 (1983).
Spradling, A. C. & Rubin, G. M. Science 218, 341–347 (1982).
Rubin, G. M. & Spradling, A. C. Science 218, 348–353 (1982).
Throckmorton, L. H. in Handbook of Genetics Vol. 3 (ed. King, R. C.) 421–469 (Plenum, New York, 1975).
Rubin, G. M. et al. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 45, 619–628 (1981).
Levis, R., Collins, M. & Rubin, G. Cell 30, 551–565 (1982).
Strobel, E. Fedn Proc. 41, 2656–2658 (1982).
Meyerowitz, E. M. & Hogness, D. S. Cell 28, 165–176 (1982).
Scherer, G., Tschudi, C., Perera, J., Delias, H. & Pirrotta, V. J. molec. Biol. 157, 435–451 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brookfield, J., Montgomery, E. & Langley, C. Apparent absence of transposable elements related to the P elements of D. melanogaster in other species of Drosophila. Nature 310, 330–332 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310330a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310330a0
This article is cited by
-
New Drosophila P-like elements and reclassification of Drosophila P-elements subfamilies
Molecular Genetics and Genomics (2012)
-
Genetic variation of copia suppression in Drosophila melanogaster
Heredity (2011)
-
DrosophilaP transposons of the urochordata Ciona intestinalis
Molecular Genetics and Genomics (2009)
-
Evolutionary conservation and molecular characteristics of repetitive sequences of Drosophila koepferae
Heredity (1996)
-
The relationship between structural variation and dysgenic properties of P elements in long-established P-transformed lines of Drosophila simulans
Heredity (1996)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
