Boulesteix M, Biémont C
Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR CNRS 5558, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.
Cytogenet Genome Res. 2005;110(1-4):500-9. doi: 10.1159/000084983.
We describe the current state of knowledge about transposable elements (TEs) in different mosquito species. DNA-based elements (class II elements), non-LTR retrotransposons (class I elements), and MITEs (Miniature Inverted Repeat Transposable Elements) are found in the three genera, Anopheles, Aedes and Culex, whereas LTR retrotransposons (class I elements) are found only in Anopheles and Aedes. Mosquitoes were the first insects in which MITEs were reported; they have several LTR retrotransposons belonging to the Pao family, which is distinct from the Gypsy-Ty3 and Copia-Ty1 families. The number of TE copies shows huge variations between classes of TEs within a given species (from 1 to 1000), in sharp contrast to Drosophila, which shows only relatively minor differences in copy number between elements (from 1 to 100). The genomes of these insects therefore display major differences in the amount of TEs and therefore in their structure and global composition. We emphasize the need for more population genetic data about the activity of TEs, their distribution over chromosomes and their frequencies in natural populations of mosquitoes, to further the current attempts to develop a transgenic mosquito unable to transmit malaria that is intended to replace the natural populations.
我们描述了不同蚊种中转座元件（TEs）的当前知识状态。在按蚊、伊蚊和库蚊这三个属中发现了基于DNA的元件（II类元件）、非LTR逆转录转座子（I类元件）和微型反向重复转座元件（MITEs），而LTR逆转录转座子（I类元件）仅在按蚊和伊蚊中发现。蚊子是最早报道有MITEs的昆虫；它们有几个属于Pao家族的LTR逆转录转座子，这与吉普赛 - Ty3和考皮亚 - Ty1家族不同。在给定物种内，TE拷贝数在不同类型的TE之间显示出巨大差异（从1到1000），这与果蝇形成鲜明对比，果蝇的元件拷贝数仅显示出相对较小的差异（从1到100）。因此，这些昆虫的基因组在TE的数量上，进而在其结构和整体组成上表现出重大差异。我们强调需要更多关于TE活性、它们在染色体上的分布以及它们在蚊子自然种群中的频率的群体遗传数据，以推进目前开发一种无法传播疟疾的转基因蚊子来取代自然种群的尝试。
