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Eukaryotic Cell, February 2004, p. 157-169, Vol. 3, No. 1
1535-9778/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/EC.3.1.157-169.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A Non-Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposon Family Is Restricted to the Germ Line Micronucleus of the Ciliated Protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila

Jeffrey S. Fillingham,1,{dagger} Trine A. Thing,1 Nama Vythilingum,1 Alex Keuroghlian,1 Deanna Bruno,1 G. Brian Golding,2 and Ronald E. Pearlman1*

Department of Biology, York University, Toronto M3J 1P3,1 Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4K1, Ontario, Canada2

Received 8 May 2003/ Accepted 25 November 2003

The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila undergoes extensive programmed DNA rearrangements during the development of a somatic macronucleus from the germ line micronucleus in its sexual cycle. To investigate the relationship between programmed DNA rearrangements and transposable elements, we identified several members of a family of non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons (retroposons) in T. thermophila, the first characterized in the ciliated protozoa. This multiple-copy retrotransposon family is restricted to the micronucleus of T. thermophila. The REP (Tetrahymena non-LTR retroposon) elements encode an ORF2 typical of non-LTR elements that contains apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE) and reverse transcriptase (RT) domains. Phylogenetic analysis of the RT and APE domains indicates that the element forms a deep-branching clade within the non-LTR retrotransposon family. Northern analysis with a probe to the conserved RT domain indicates that transcripts from the element are small and heterogeneous in length during early macronuclear development. The presence of a repeated transposable element in the genome is consistent with the model that programmed DNA deletion in T. thermophila evolved as a method of eliminating deleterious transposons from the somatic macronucleus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3. Phone: (416) 736-5241. Fax: (416) 736-5698. E-mail: ronp{at}yorku.ca.

{dagger} Present address: Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Eukaryotic Cell, February 2004, p. 157-169, Vol. 3, No. 1
1535-9778/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/EC.3.1.157-169.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Fillingham, J. S., Garg, J., Tsao, N., Vythilingum, N., Nishikawa, T., Pearlman, R. E. (2006). Molecular Genetic Analysis of an SNF2/brahma-Related Gene in Tetrahymena thermophila Suggests Roles in Growth and Nuclear Development.. Eukaryot Cell 5: 1347-1359 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chalker, D. L., Fuller, P., Yao, M.-C. (2005). Communication Between Parental and Developing Genomes During Tetrahymena Nuclear Differentiation Is Likely Mediated by Homologous RNAs. Genetics 169: 149-160 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wuitschick, J. D., Lindstrom, P. R., Meyer, A. E., Karrer, K. M. (2004). Homing Endonucleases Encoded by Germ Line-Limited Genes in Tetrahymena thermophila Have APETELA2 DNA Binding Domains. Eukaryot Cell 3: 685-694 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fillingham, J. S., Pearlman, R. E. (2004). Role of Micronucleus-Limited DNA in Programmed Deletion of mse2.9 during Macronuclear Development of Tetrahymena thermophila. Eukaryot Cell 3: 288-301 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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