The mariner transposable element is widespread in insects

The mariner transposable element is a small member of the short inverted terminal repeat class thought to transpose through a DNA intermediate. Primers designed to represent regions of amino acid conservation between the putative transposase genes of the Drosophila mauritiana and Hyalophora cecropia elements were used to amplify equivalent regions of presumed mariner elements from 10 other insect species (Forficula auricularia, Apis mellifera, Cerotoma trifurcata, Ctenolepisma lineata, Haematobia irritans, Anopheles gambiae, Ctenocephalides felis, Ephestia cautella [Cadra cautella], Oncopeltus fasciatus and Chrysops vittatus). Sequences of multiple clones for each species revealed a diverse array of mariner elements, with multiple subfamilies in the genomes of some insects, indicating both vertical inheritance and horizontal transfers. An intact open reading frame in at least one clone from each species suggests each may carry functional transposable elements. The mariner element appears to be an excellent candidate for the development of genetic transformation systems for non-drosophilid insects, and possibly for other arthropods.