African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. . 2 (5), pp. 124-128, May 2003

ISSN 1684-5315  © 2003 Academic Journals

Molecular distribution of gypsy-like retrotransposons in cotton Gossypium Spp.

Essam A. Zaki^1,y,* and Abdel Ghany A. Abdel Ghany²

¹Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, GEBRI, Research Area, Borg El Arab, Post Code 21934, Alexandria

²Institute of Efficient Productivity, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

*Corresponding author: Phone (765) 494-9837, Fax: (765) 496-1496, E-mail: ezaki@purdue.edu.  

^yCurrent Address: Department of Biological Sciences, 1392 Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1392, USA.

Accepted 18 April, 2003

PCR primers specific for conserved domains of the reverse transcriptase (RT) genes of gypsy-like retrotransposons amplified their corresponding gene in two Gossypium barbadense cultivars. Analysis with the FASTA software showed a high DNA sequence homology to pine, gypsy LTR-retrotransposon. Using the PCR product as a hybridization probe, gypsy-like retrotransposons were detected in wild type species of Gossypium, suggesting that gypsy-like retrotransposons are present in the Gossypium genome.  This supports the view that gypsy-like retrotransposons are major components of plant genomes. Our results suggest gypsy-like retrotransposons have played a fundamental role in the shaping and evolution of the Gossypium genome.

Key words: Gossypium, gypsy, polyploidy, retroelements, retrotransposons, retroviruses, reverse transcriptase.