[Characterization of the copy number of RIRE10 retrotransposon and transcriptional activity of its LTR in rice genome].

Abstract

A full-length Ty3-like retrotransposon, named RIRE10, was identified on the long arm of chromosome 4 in rice genome. The internal region between two LTRs had another open reading frame in the region upstream of gag-pol sequence. The transcripts from LTR region were detected by Northern blot hybridization and RT-PCR. To assess the activity of RIRE10 in rice genome, the copy number of its internal region and long terminal repeat (LTR) domain were determined by dot blot analyses. Nearly 900 solo-LTR of the RIRE10 retrotransposon exist in rice genome, apart from those LTRs that flank 65 intact RIRE retrotransposons. Based on the experimental results, the retrotransposition of RIRE10 was speculated to be influenced by two factors: transcriptional activity of LTR region and homologous recombination resulting in solo-LTR.