Identification of a family of SINEs and LINEs in the Pipistrellus kuhli genome: a new structural and functional symbiotic relationship

Abstract

We initially describe a novel tRNA-derived SINE family, abundantly and randomly distributed in the genome of the bat Pipistrellus kuhli. We present evidence that the LINE retrotransposition machinery is recruited for the creation of a new chimerical retrotranscript constituted by the partial LINE reverse transcriptase ORF2, which is interrupted by the SINE15 retrotransposon. Structural homology between SINE15 and Homo sapiens helix 6 7SL RNA allows us to propose multiple genome partners for SINE retrotransposition, such as SRP proteins and LINE enzymatic machinery. Moreover, on the basis of the LINE and SINE/LINE chimerical transcripts, we propose a mutual relationship between SINE and LINE retrotransposons.