A yeast model for target-primed (non-LTR) retrotransposition.

Background: Target-primed (non-LTR) retrotransposons, such as the human L1 element, are mobile genetic elements found in many eukaryotic genomes. They are often present in large numbers and their retrotransposition can cause mutations and genomic rearrangements. Despite their importance, many aspects of their replication are not well understood.

Multiple, non-allelic, intein-coding sequences in eukaryotic RNA polymerase genes.

Background: Inteins are self-splicing protein elements. They are translated as inserts within host proteins that excise themselves and ligate the flanking portions of the host protein (exteins) with a peptide bond. They are encoded as in-frame insertions within the genes for the host proteins.

The nuclear-encoded inteins of fungi.

An intein is a protein sequence embedded within a precursor protein that is excised during protein maturation. Inteins were first found encoded in the VMA gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Subsequently, they have been found in diverse organisms (eukaryotes, archaea, eubacteria and viruses).

The distribution and evolutionary history of the PRP8 intein.

Background: We recently described a mini-intein in the PRP8 gene of a strain of the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans, an important fungal pathogen of humans. This was the second described intein in the nuclear genome of any eukaryote; the first nuclear encoded intein was found in the VMA gene of several saccharomycete yeasts. The evolution of eukaryote inteins is not well understood.

Two new fungal inteins.

Until recently the only intein known to be encoded by the nuclear genome of a eukaryote was the VMA intein in the vacuolar ATPase precursor of several species of saccharomycete yeast. This intein has been intensively studied and much information has been gained about its structure, mode of action and evolutionary history. We recently reported a second nuclear intein, Cne PRP8, encoded within the PRP8 gene of the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans.

A new group of tyrosine recombinase-encoding retrotransposons.

A wide variety of novel tyrosine recombinase (YR)-encoding retrotransposons were identified using data emerging from the various eukaryotic genome sequencing projects. Although many of these elements are clearly members of the previously described DIRS group of YR retrotransposons, a substantial number, including elements from a variety of fungi and animals, belong to a distinct and previously unrecognized group. We refer to these latter elements as the Ngaro group after a representative from zebrafish.

Cryptons: a group of tyrosine-recombinase-encoding DNA transposons from pathogenic fungi.

A new group of transposable elements, which the authors have named cryptons, was detected in several pathogenic fungi, including the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans, and the ascomycetes Coccidioides posadasii and Histoplasma capsulatum. These elements are unlike any previously described transposons. An archetypal member of the group, crypton Cn1, is 4 kb in length and is present at a low but variable copy number in a variety of C.

Vertebrate helentrons and other novel Helitrons.

Helitrons, a novel class of eukaryote mobile genetic elements, are distinguished from other transposable elements by encoding a 'rolling circle' replication (RCR) protein (Rep) and a helicase. Helitrons have recently been described from Arabidopsis, rice and the nematode Caenorhabditis. We now report the discovery of Helitron-like elements in vertebrates, specifically in the genomes of the fish Danio rerio and Sphoeroides nephelus.

Ty3/gypsy-like retrotransposons in Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis: Tca3 and Tcd3.

Ty3/gypsy retrotransposons are a widespread group of eukaryote mobile genetic elements. They are similar in structure to, and may be ancestors of, the vertebrate retroviruses. Here we describe the first Ty3/gypsy retrotransposons from the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis, which we refer to as Tca3 and Tcd3, respectively.