Futcher B, Reid E, Hickey D A
Department of Biochemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Genetics. 1988 Mar;118(3):411-5. doi: 10.1093/genetics/118.3.411.
Many eukaryotic mobile elements have been identified, but few have any obvious function. This has led to the proposal that many such elements may be parasitic DNA. We have used the 2 micron circle plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to investigate the maintenance of a cryptic genetic element. We find that under certain conditions this plasmid can spread through experimental populations despite demonstrable selection against it. This spread is dependent upon outbreeding, suggesting that cell to cell transmission of the plasmid during the yeast sexual cycle can counterbalance selection, and maintain the plasmid in populations. This result provides experimental support for the idea that some mobile elements may be parasitic DNA.
许多真核生物的移动元件已被识别出来,但很少有元件具有任何明显的功能。这就导致了一种观点,即许多这样的元件可能是寄生性DNA。我们以酿酒酵母的2微米环状质粒作为模型系统,来研究一种隐蔽遗传元件的维持机制。我们发现,在某些条件下,尽管存在明显不利于它的选择作用,这种质粒仍能在实验群体中传播。这种传播依赖于远交,这表明在酵母有性生殖周期中质粒在细胞间的传递能够抵消选择作用,并使质粒在群体中得以维持。这一结果为某些移动元件可能是寄生性DNA这一观点提供了实验支持。