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Galbraith JD, Ivancevic AM, Qu Z, Adelson DL. Detecting Horizontal Transfer of Transposons. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2607:45-62. [PMID: 36449157 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2883-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are prevalent genomic components which can replicate as a function of mobilization in eukaryotes. Not only do they alter genome structure, they also play regulatory functions or organize chromatin structure. In addition to vertical parent-to-offspring inheritance, TEs can also horizontally "jump" between species, known as horizontal transposon transfer (HTT). This can rapidly alter the course of genome evolution. In this chapter, we provide a practical framework to detect HTT events. Our HTT detection framework is based on the use of sequence alignment to determine the divergence/conservation profiles of TE families to determine the history of expansion events. In summary, it includes (a) workflow of HTT detection from Ab initio identified TEs; (b) workflow for detecting HTT for specific, curated TEs; and (c) workflow for validating detected HTT candidates. Our framework covers two common scenarios of HTT detection in the modern omics era, and we believe it will serve as a valuable toolbox for the TE and genomics research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Galbraith
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Atma M Ivancevic
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Zhipeng Qu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - David L Adelson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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Galbraith JD, Ludington AJ, Sanders KL, Amos TG, Thomson VA, Enosi Tuipulotu D, Dunstan N, Edwards RJ, Suh A, Adelson DL. Horizontal Transposon Transfer and Its Implications for the Ancestral Ecology of Hydrophiine Snakes. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:217. [PMID: 35205262 PMCID: PMC8872380 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs), also known as jumping genes, are sequences able to move or copy themselves within a genome. As TEs move throughout genomes they often act as a source of genetic novelty, hence understanding TE evolution within lineages may help in understanding environmental adaptation. Studies into the TE content of lineages of mammals such as bats have uncovered horizontal transposon transfer (HTT) into these lineages, with squamates often also containing the same TEs. Despite the repeated finding of HTT into squamates, little comparative research has examined the evolution of TEs within squamates. Here we examine a diverse family of Australo-Melanesian snakes (Hydrophiinae) to examine if the previously identified, order-wide pattern of variable TE content and activity holds true on a smaller scale. Hydrophiinae diverged from Asian elapids ~30 Mya and have since rapidly diversified into six amphibious, ~60 marine and ~100 terrestrial species that fill a broad range of ecological niches. We find TE diversity and expansion differs between hydrophiines and their Asian relatives and identify multiple HTTs into Hydrophiinae, including three likely transferred into the ancestral hydrophiine from fish. These HTT events provide the first tangible evidence that Hydrophiinae reached Australia from Asia via a marine route.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Galbraith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (J.D.G.); (A.J.L.); (K.L.S.); (V.A.T.)
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Alastair J. Ludington
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (J.D.G.); (A.J.L.); (K.L.S.); (V.A.T.)
| | - Kate L. Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (J.D.G.); (A.J.L.); (K.L.S.); (V.A.T.)
| | - Timothy G. Amos
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (T.G.A.); (D.E.T.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Vicki A. Thomson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (J.D.G.); (A.J.L.); (K.L.S.); (V.A.T.)
| | - Daniel Enosi Tuipulotu
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (T.G.A.); (D.E.T.)
- Division of Immunity, Inflammation and Infection, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Richard J. Edwards
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (T.G.A.); (D.E.T.)
| | - Alexander Suh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TU, UK
- Department of Organismal Biology-Systematic Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David L. Adelson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (J.D.G.); (A.J.L.); (K.L.S.); (V.A.T.)
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
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Moura Gama J, Ludwig A, Gazolla CB, Guizelini D, Recco-Pimentel SM, Bruschi DP. A genomic survey of LINE elements in Pipidae aquatic frogs shed light on Rex-elements evolution in these genomes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 168:107393. [PMID: 35051593 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The transposable elements (TE) represent a large portion of anuran genomes that act as components of genetic diversification. The LINE order of retrotransposons is among the most representative and diverse TEs and is poorly investigated in anurans. Here we explored the LINE diversity with an emphasis on the elements generically called Rex in Pipidae species, more specifically, in the genomes ofXenopus tropicalis, used as a model genome in the study of anurans,the allotetraploid sister species Xenopus laevis and theAmerican species Pipa carvalhoi. We were able to identify a great diversity of LINEs from five clades, Rex1, L2, CR1, L1 and Tx1, in these three species, and the RTE clade was lost in X. tropicalis. It is clear that elements classified as Rex are distributed in distinct clades. The evolutionary pattern of Rex1 elements denote a complex evolution with independent losses of families and some horizontal transfer events between fishes and amphibians which were supported not only by the phylogenetic inconsistencies but also by the very low Ks values found for the TE sequences. The data obtained here update the knowledge of the LINEs diversity in X. laevis and represent the first study of TEs in P. carvalhoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Moura Gama
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética (PPG-GEN), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil; Laboratório de Citogenética evolutiva e Conservação Animal (LabCeca), Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Brazil
| | - Adriana Ludwig
- Laboratório de Ciências e Tecnologias Aplicadas em Saúde (LaCTAS), Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz-PR, Brazil.
| | - Camilla Borges Gazolla
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética (PPG-GEN), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil; Laboratório de Citogenética evolutiva e Conservação Animal (LabCeca), Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Brazil
| | - Dieval Guizelini
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioinformática, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Pacheco Bruschi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética (PPG-GEN), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil; Laboratório de Citogenética evolutiva e Conservação Animal (LabCeca), Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Brazil.
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Galbraith JD, Kortschak RD, Suh A, Adelson DL. Genome Stability Is in the Eye of the Beholder: CR1 Retrotransposon Activity Varies Significantly across Avian Diversity. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6433158. [PMID: 34894225 PMCID: PMC8665684 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the sequencing of the zebra finch genome it has become clear that avian genomes, while largely stable in terms of chromosome number and gene synteny, are more dynamic at an intrachromosomal level. A multitude of intrachromosomal rearrangements and significant variation in transposable element (TE) content have been noted across the avian tree. TEs are a source of genome plasticity, because their high similarity enables chromosomal rearrangements through nonallelic homologous recombination, and they have potential for exaptation as regulatory and coding sequences. Previous studies have investigated the activity of the dominant TE in birds, chicken repeat 1 (CR1) retrotransposons, either focusing on their expansion within single orders, or comparing passerines with nonpasserines. Here, we comprehensively investigate and compare the activity of CR1 expansion across orders of birds, finding levels of CR1 activity vary significantly both between and within orders. We describe high levels of TE expansion in genera which have speciated in the last 10 Myr including kiwis, geese, and Amazon parrots; low levels of TE expansion in songbirds across their diversification, and near inactivity of TEs in the cassowary and emu for millions of years. CR1s have remained active over long periods of time across most orders of neognaths, with activity at any one time dominated by one or two families of CR1s. Our findings of higher TE activity in species-rich clades and dominant families of TEs within lineages mirror past findings in mammals and indicate that genome evolution in amniotes relies on universal TE-driven processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Galbraith
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Alexander Suh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.,Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - David L Adelson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Peona V, Palacios-Gimenez OM, Blommaert J, Liu J, Haryoko T, Jønsson KA, Irestedt M, Zhou Q, Jern P, Suh A. The avian W chromosome is a refugium for endogenous retroviruses with likely effects on female-biased mutational load and genetic incompatibilities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200186. [PMID: 34304594 PMCID: PMC8310711 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is a broadly observed pattern that the non-recombining regions of sex-limited chromosomes (Y and W) accumulate more repeats than the rest of the genome, even in species like birds with a low genome-wide repeat content. Here, we show that in birds with highly heteromorphic sex chromosomes, the W chromosome has a transposable element (TE) density of greater than 55% compared to the genome-wide density of less than 10%, and contains over half of all full-length (thus potentially active) endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) of the entire genome. Using RNA-seq and protein mass spectrometry data, we were able to detect signatures of female-specific ERV expression. We hypothesize that the avian W chromosome acts as a refugium for active ERVs, probably leading to female-biased mutational load that may influence female physiology similar to the 'toxic-Y' effect in Drosophila males. Furthermore, Haldane's rule predicts that the heterogametic sex has reduced fertility in hybrids. We propose that the excess of W-linked active ERVs over the rest of the genome may be an additional explanatory variable for Haldane's rule, with consequences for genetic incompatibilities between species through TE/repressor mismatches in hybrids. Together, our results suggest that the sequence content of female-specific W chromosomes can have effects far beyond sex determination and gene dosage. This article is part of the theme issue 'Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Peona
- Department of Organismal Biology—Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Julie Blommaert
- Department of Organismal Biology—Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jing Liu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neuroscience and Development, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tri Haryoko
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Knud A. Jønsson
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Irestedt
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qi Zhou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neuroscience and Development, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310052, People's Republic of China
| | - Patric Jern
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexander Suh
- Department of Organismal Biology—Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences—Organisms and the Environment, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Galbraith JD, Ludington AJ, Sanders KL, Suh A, Adelson DL. Horizontal transfer and subsequent explosive expansion of a DNA transposon in sea kraits ( Laticauda). Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210342. [PMID: 34464541 PMCID: PMC8437027 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are self-replicating genetic sequences and are often described as important 'drivers of evolution'. This driving force is because TEs promote genomic novelty by enabling rearrangement, and through exaptation as coding and regulatory elements. However, most TE insertions potentially lead to neutral or harmful outcomes, therefore host genomes have evolved machinery to suppress TE expansion. Through horizontal transposon transfer (HTT) TEs can colonize new genomes, and since new hosts may not be able to regulate subsequent replication, these TEs may proliferate rapidly. Here, we describe HTT of the Harbinger-Snek DNA transposon into sea kraits (Laticauda), and its subsequent explosive expansion within Laticauda genomes. This HTT occurred following the divergence of Laticauda from terrestrial Australian elapids approximately 15-25 Mya. This has resulted in numerous insertions into introns and regulatory regions, with some insertions into exons which appear to have altered UTRs or added sequence to coding exons. Harbinger-Snek has rapidly expanded to make up 8-12% of Laticauda spp. genomes; this is the fastest known expansion of TEs in amniotes following HTT. Genomic changes caused by this rapid expansion may have contributed to adaptation to the amphibious-marine habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Galbraith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | | | - Kate L. Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Alexander Suh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TU, UK
- Department of Organismal Biology - Systematic Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-752 36, Sweden
| | - David L. Adelson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Wanner NM, Faulk C. Suggested Absence of Horizontal Transfer of Retrotransposons between Humans and Domestic Mammal Species. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1223. [PMID: 34440397 PMCID: PMC8391136 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable element sequences are usually vertically inherited but have also spread across taxa via horizontal transfer. Previous investigations of ancient horizontal transfer of transposons have compared consensus sequences, but this method resists detection of recent single or low copy number transfer events. The relationship between humans and domesticated animals represents an opportunity for potential horizontal transfer due to the consistent shared proximity and exposure to parasitic insects, which have been identified as plausible transfer vectors. The relatively short period of extended human-animal contact (tens of thousands of years or less) makes horizontal transfer of transposons between them unlikely. However, the availability of high-quality reference genomes allows individual element comparisons to detect low copy number events. Using pairwise all-versus-all megablast searches of the complete suite of retrotransposons of thirteen domestic animals against human, we searched a total of 27,949,823 individual TEs. Based on manual comparisons of stringently filtered BLAST search results for evidence of vertical inheritance, no plausible instances of HTT were identified. These results indicate that significant recent HTT between humans and domesticated animals has not occurred despite the close proximity, either due to the short timescale, inhospitable recipient genomes, a failure of vector activity, or other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Wanner
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 301 Veterinary Science Building, 1971 Commonwealth Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Christopher Faulk
- Department of Animal Science, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, 277 Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Impact of Repetitive DNA Elements on Snake Genome Biology and Evolution. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071707. [PMID: 34359877 PMCID: PMC8303610 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The distinctive biology and unique evolutionary features of snakes make them fascinating model systems to elucidate how genomes evolve and how variation at the genomic level is interlinked with phenotypic-level evolution. Similar to other eukaryotic genomes, large proportions of snake genomes contain repetitive DNA, including transposable elements (TEs) and satellite repeats. The importance of repetitive DNA and its structural and functional role in the snake genome, remain unclear. This review highlights the major types of repeats and their proportions in snake genomes, reflecting the high diversity and composition of snake repeats. We present snakes as an emerging and important model system for the study of repetitive DNA under the impact of sex and microchromosome evolution. We assemble evidence to show that certain repetitive elements in snakes are transcriptionally active and demonstrate highly dynamic lineage-specific patterns as repeat sequences. We hypothesize that particular TEs can trigger different genomic mechanisms that might contribute to driving adaptive evolution in snakes. Finally, we review emerging approaches that may be used to study the expression of repetitive elements in complex genomes, such as snakes. The specific aspects presented here will stimulate further discussion on the role of genomic repeats in shaping snake evolution.
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