Element:Boudicca

Description Boudicca is a CsRN1-like LTR retrotransposon described in the genome of the trematode Schistosoma mansoni (Copeland et al. 2003; 2004). More than 1000 copies of Boudicca are present in the genome of this organism, although many of them may be degenerate and inactive (Copeland et al. 2003; 2004). Boudicca is also present in S. haematobium and it is possible that Boudicca-like retrotransposons would be represented in the genome of Betaeus truncatus, the snail host of S. haematobium (Copeland et al. 2006). The genome structure of Boudicca is 5.8 Kb in size, including LTRs of 327-301 nt long. The internal region of Boudicca displays a Primer Binding Site, four Open Reading Frames (ORFs), as well as a Polypurine Tract (PPT) adjacent to the 3’ LTR. ORF1 and ORF 2 encode for the Gag and pol polyproteins typical of LTR retrotransposons. ORF3 is the GPYF module of INT separated by a stop codon and ORF codes for a putative small peptide of unknown function (for more details, see Copeland et al. 2003; 2004). Structure Figure not to scale. If present, long terminal repeats (LTRs) have been highlighted in blue. Amino acid motifs noted with lines indicate the conserved residues in each protein domain, abbreviations below mean: MA=matrix PR=protease DU or DUT=dUTPase TM=transmembrane TAV or IBMP=transactivator/viroplasmin or inclusion body matrix protein CA=capsid RT=reverse transcriptase INT=Integrase CHR=chromodomain NC=nucleocapsid RH=RNaseH SU=surface MOV=movement protein PPT=polypurine tract PBS=primer binding site ATF=aphid transmission factor VAP=virion associated protein Related literature Mobile DNA II. (Craig et al. 2002)

Genbank accession: 51235679 Clade: CsRN1 Cluster or genus: Undetermined Branch or class: Branch 2 Family: Ty3/Gypsy System: LTR retroelements Host: Explore the Tree Life Project Schistosoma mansoni Image, courtesy of Stephen J. Davies, Uniformed Services University Browse all elements