Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Pages: 137-

Journal: BMC Genetics

Volume number: 21

ISSN: 1471-2156

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-020-00942-3

Publisher: BioMed Central

Abstract: 

Background: The hopper hAT-family transposable element isolated from the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is distantly related to both the Drosophila hobo element and the Activator element from maize. The original 3120bp hopper(Bd-Kah) element isolated from the Kahuku wild-type strain was highly degenerate and appeared to have a mutated transposase and terminal sequences, while a second 3131bp element, hopper(Bd-we), isolated from a white eye mutant strain had an intact transposase reading frame and terminal sequences consistent with function.
Results: The hopper(Bd-we) element was tested for function by its ability to mediate germline transformation in two dipteran species other than B. dorsalis. This was achieved by creating a binary vector/helper transformation system by linking the hopper(Bd-we) transposase reading frame to a D. melanogaster hsp70 promoter for a heat-inducible transposase helper plasmid, and creating vectors marked with the D. melanogaster mini-white(+) or polyubiquitin-regulated DsRed fluorescent protein markers.
Conclusions: Both vectors were successfully used to transform D. melanogaster, and the DsRed vector was also used to transform the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa, indicating a wide range of hopper function in dipteran species and, potentially, non-dipteran species. This vector provides a new tool for insect genetic modification for both functional genomic analysis and the control of insect populations.

Harvard Citation style: Handler, A. and Schetelig, M. (2020) The hAT-family transposable element, hopper, from Bactrocera dorsalis is a functional vector for insect germline transformation, BMC Genetics, 21, p. 137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-020-00942-3

APA Citation style: Handler, A., & Schetelig, M. (2020). The hAT-family transposable element, hopper, from Bactrocera dorsalis is a functional vector for insect germline transformation. BMC Genetics. 21, 137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-020-00942-3