Genetics, Vol 142, 549-555, Copyright © 1996


INVESTIGATIONS

Mus spretus LINE-1s in the Mus musculus domesticus Inbred Strain C57BL/6J Are From Two Different Mus spretus LINE-1 Subfamilies

Y. Zhao, L. P. Daggett and S. C. Hardies
Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78284-7760

A LINE-1 element, L1C105, was found in the Mus musculus domesticus inbred strain, C57BL/6J. Upon sequencing, this element was found to belong to a M. spretus LINE-1 subfamily originating within the last 0.2 million years. This is the second spretus-specific LINE-1 subfamily found to be represented in C57BL/6J. Although it is unclear how these M. spretus LINE-1s transferred from M. spretus to M. m. domesticus, it is now clear that at least two different spretus LINE-1 sequences have recently transferred. The limited divergence between the C57BL/6J spretus-like LINE-1s and their closest spretus ancestors suggests that the transfer did not involve an exceptionally long lineage of sequential transpositions.