Amplification of LTRs of extrachromosomal linear DNAs (ALE-seq) identifies two active Oryco LTR retrotransposons in the rice cultivar Dongjin.

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) make up a considerable portion of plant genomes. New insertions of these active LTR-RTs modify gene structures and functions and play an important role in genome evolution. Therefore, identifying active forms of LTR-RTs could uncover the effects of these elements in plants. Extrachromosomal linear DNA (eclDNA) forms during LTR-RT replication; therefore, amplification LTRs of eclDNAs followed by sequencing (ALE-seq) uncover the current transpositional potential of the LTR-RTs. The ALE-seq protocol was validated by identification of Tos17 in callus of Nipponbare cultivar. Here, we identified two active LTR-RTs belonging to the Oryco family on chromosomes 6 and 9 in rice cultivar Dongjin callus based on the ALE-seq technology. Each Oryco family member has paired LTRs with identical sequences and internal domain regions. Comparison of the two LTR-RTs revealed 97% sequence identity in their internal domains and 65% sequence identity in their LTRs. These two putatively active Oryco LTR-RT family members could be used to expand our knowledge of retrotransposition mechanisms and the effects of LTR-RTs on the rice genome.