Phylogenetic analysis of retroposon family as exemplified on human chromosome 13: further evidence for recent proliferation.

Journal article

The retroposon SINE-R.C2 was first identified as a human-specific insertion in the complement C2 gene. In our previous study, SINE-R type retroposons, derived from the endogenous retrovirus HERV-K family, have been found to be hominoid specific. In this report on human chromosome 13, we identified eighteen new SINE-R retroposons resembling those we have previously reported on the sex chromosomes and on chromosomes 7 and 17. Phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method revealed that four SINE-R retroposons (13-16, 21, 23, 25) on chromosome 13 were closely related to the human-specific retroposon SINE-R.C2, with a high degree of sequence homology (95-97%). Such elements differ from the HERV-K10. LTR sequence from which they are derived in being deleted for the promoter region. Therefore while the evidence adds to the case that some classes of SINE-R element have continued to proliferate in hominid and hominoid evolution and may, as in the case of Fukuyama type muscular dystrophy, be a cause of insertional mutagenesis, they are less likely than the HERV-K10 LTR to have a positive effect on host gene activity.

Authors: Kim, H; Hyun, B; Crow, T

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Molecules and cells
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 356-360
• Publication date: 2000-06-01
• EISSN: 0219-1032
• ISSN: 1016-8478
• Language: English
• Keywords: Evolution, Molecular; Phylogeny; Retroelements; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13; Terminal Repeat Sequences; Complement C2; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Humans; Short Interspersed Nucleotide Elements