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A PCR-based assay to detect En/Spm-like transposon sequences in plants

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Abstract

Degenerate primers deduced from the TPase region of plant En/Spm-like transposons allowed the amplification of similar sequences from various plant species including sugar beet, wheat and pea. These primers are efficient tools for the detection of this family of transposons in many plant genomes irrespective of sequence knowledge or phenotypic pecularities. An efficient PCR assay was therefore developed for these class II transposons, similar to assays already available for Ty1-copia-, Ty3-gypsy- or LINEs. This approach allowed us not only to show the widespread almost-ubiquitous presence of En/Spm-elements in plant genomes, but also to characterize their genomic organization and chromosomal distribution in the genome of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and its abundance in related Cicer species. This approach can be used for the detection and characterization of endogenous DNA transposable elements in plant species, their complete isolation and evaluation of their use for genome analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Marie-Curie-Straße 9, D-60439, Frankfurt, Germany

    Christina Staginnus, Bruno Huettel & Günter Kahl

  2. Plant Molecular Cytogenetics Group, Institute of Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Christian-Albrechts University, Olshausenstraße 40, D-24118, Kiel, Germany

    Christine Desel & Thomas Schmidt

Authors
  1. Christina Staginnus
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  2. Bruno Huettel
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  3. Christine Desel
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  4. Thomas Schmidt
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  5. Günter Kahl
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Staginnus, C., Huettel, B., Desel, C. et al. A PCR-based assay to detect En/Spm-like transposon sequences in plants. Chromosome Res 9, 591–605 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012455520353

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