O'Brochta D A, Warren W D, Saville K J, Atkinson P W
Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, College Park 20742, USA.
Genetics. 1996 Mar;142(3):907-14. doi: 10.1093/genetics/142.3.907.
Hermes is a short inverted repeat-type transposable element from the house fly, Musca domestica. Using an extra-chromosomal transpositional recombination assay, we show that Hermes elements can accurately transpose in M. domestica embryos. To test the ability of Hermes to function in species distantly related to M. domestica we used a nonautonomous Hermes element containing the Drosophila melanogaster while (w+) gene and created D. melanogaster germline transformants. Transgenic G1 insects were recovered from 34.6% of the fertile G0 adults developing from microinjected w- embryos. This transformation rate is comparable with that observed using P or hobo vectors in D. melanogaster, however, many instances of multiple-element insertions and large clusters were observed. Genetic mapping, Southern blotting, polytene chromosome in situ hybridization and DNA sequence analyses confirmed that Hermes elements were chromosomally integrated in transgenic insects. Our data demonstrate that Hermes elements transpose at high rates in D. melanogaster and may be an effective gene vector and gene-tagging agent in this species and distantly related species of medical and agricultural importance.
赫耳墨斯是家蝇（Musca domestica）中的一种短反向重复型转座元件。通过一种染色体外转座重组分析，我们发现赫耳墨斯元件能够在家蝇胚胎中精确转座。为了测试赫耳墨斯在与家蝇亲缘关系较远的物种中发挥功能的能力，我们使用了一个含有黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）白眼（w +）基因的非自主赫耳墨斯元件，并构建了黑腹果蝇种系转化体。从显微注射了白眼（w -）胚胎发育而来的可育G0成虫中，34.6%获得了转基因G1昆虫。这个转化率与在黑腹果蝇中使用P或hobo载体时观察到的转化率相当，然而，观察到了许多多元件插入和大簇的情况。遗传图谱分析、Southern印迹、多线染色体原位杂交和DNA序列分析证实，赫耳墨斯元件已整合到转基因昆虫的染色体中。我们的数据表明，赫耳墨斯元件在黑腹果蝇中以高频率转座，并且在该物种以及具有医学和农业重要性的亲缘关系较远的物种中可能是一种有效的基因载体和基因标记剂。
