Replication of nonautonomous retroelements in soybean appears to be both recent and common

Retrotransposons and their remnants often constitute more than 50% of higher plant genomes. Although extensively studied in monocot crops such as maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa), the impact of retrotransposons on dicot crop genomes is not well documented. Here, we present an analysis of retrotransposons in soybean (Glycine max). Analysis of approximately 3.7 megabases (Mb) of genomic sequence, including 0.87 Mb of pericentromeric sequence, uncovered 45 intact long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposons. The ratio of intact elements to solo LTRs was 8:1, one of the highest reported to date in plants, suggesting that removal of retrotransposons by homologous recombination between LTRs is occurring more slowly in soybean than in previously characterized plant species. Analysis of paired LTR sequences uncovered a low frequency of deletions relative to base substitutions, indicating that removal of retrotransposon sequences by illegitimate recombination is also operating more slowly. Significantly, we identified three subfamilies of nonautonomous elements that have replicated in the recent past, suggesting that retrotransposition can be catalyzed in trans by autonomous elements elsewhere in the genome. Analysis of 1.6 Mb of sequence from Glycine tomentella, a wild perennial relative of soybean, uncovered 23 intact retroelements, two of which had accumulated no mutations in their LTRs, indicating very recent insertion. A similar pattern was found in 0.94 Mb of sequence from Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean). Thus, autonomous and nonautonomous retrotransposons appear to be both abundant and active in Glycine and Phaseolus. The impact of nonautonomous retrotransposon replication on genome size appears to be much greater than previously appreciated.     

Parasitism and the retrotransposon life cycle in plants: a hitchhiker's guide to the genome

LTR (long terminal repeat) retrotransposons are the main components of higher plant genomic DNA. They have shaped their host genomes through insertional mutagenesis and by effects on genome size, gene expression and recombination. These Class I transposable elements are closely related to retroviruses such as the HIV by their structure and presumptive life cycle. However, the retrotransposon life cycle has been closely investigated in few systems. For retroviruses and retrotransposons, individual defective copies can parasitize the activity of functional ones. However, some LTR retrotransposon groups as a whole, such as large retrotransposon derivatives and terminal repeats in miniature, are non-autonomous even though their genomic insertion patterns remain polymorphic between organismal accessions. Here, we examine what is known of the retrotransposon life cycle in plants, and in that context discuss the role of parasitism and complementation between and within retrotransposon groups.     

植物LTR反转录转座子的研究进展

反转录转座子是真核生物基因组中普遍存在的一类可移动的遗传因子,它们以RNA为媒介,在基因组中不断自我复制。在高等植物中,反转录转座子是基因组的重要成分之一。反转录转座子可以分为5大类型,其中以长末端重复（LTR）类型报道较多。LTR类型由于其首尾具有长末端重复序列,内部含有PBS、PPT、GAG和POL开放阅读框、TSD等结构,可以采用生物信息学软件进行预测。LTR反转录转座子的活性受到自身甲基化和环境因素的影响,DNA甲基化抑制反转录转座子转座,而外界环境的刺激能够激活转座子,从而影响插入位点周边基因的表达。同时由于LTR反转录转座子在植物中普遍存在,丰富的拷贝数以及多态性为新型分子标记（RBIP、SSAP、IRAP、REMAP）的开发提供了良好的素材。该文对近年来国内外有关植物反转录转座子的类型、结构特征、 LTR反转录转座子的活性及其影响因素、 LTR反转录转座子的预测以及标记开发等方面的研究进展进行综述。