PUBLICATION

Transposition of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans Tc3 element in the zebrafish Danio rerio

Authors
Raz, E., Van Luenen, H.G.A.M., Schaerringer, B., Plasterk, R.H.A., and Driever, W.
ID
ZDB-PUB-980212-1
Date
1998
Source
Current biology : CB   8: 82-88 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Driever, Wolfgang, Plasterk, Ronald H.A., Raz, Erez
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics*
  • DNA Transposable Elements*
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Transfer, Horizontal
  • Genes, Helminth*
  • Genetic Vectors*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
PubMed
9427643 Full text @ Curr. Biol.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Transposable elements of the Tc1/mariner family are found in many species of the animal kingdom. It has been suggested that the widespread distribution of this transposon family resulted from horizontal transmission among different species. RESULTS: To test the ability of Tc1/mariner to cross species barriers, as well as to develop molecular genetic tools for studying zebrafish development, we determined the ability of the Tc3 transposon, a member of the Tc1/mariner family, to function in zebrafish. Tc3 transposons carrying sequences encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP) were able to integrate in the fish genome by transposition. Integrated transposons expressed the GFP marker after germline transmission, and were capable of being mobilized upon introduction of transposase protein in trans. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support models of horizontal transmission of Tc1/mariner elements between species. The work also establishes the basis for a novel method of transposon-mediated genetic transformation and for transposon-mediated genetic screens in zebrafish and other organisms.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping