A novel insertion of a rearranged L1 element in exon 44 of the dystrophin gene: Further evidence for possible bias in retroposon integration

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 347; no. 1; pp. 145 - 149
• Main Authors: Musova, Zuzana, Hedvicakova, Petra, Mohrmann, Marketa, Tesarova, Marketa, Krepelova, Anna, Zeman, Jiri, Sedlacek, Zdenek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 18.08.2006
• Subjects: Base Sequence; Bias; Child; Chromosome Mapping; Disease-causing insertion; DNA Mutational Analysis; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Dystrophin - genetics; Evidence-Based Medicine; Exon skipping; Exons - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Genetic Variation - genetics; Humans; Insertion bias; L1 retrotransposon; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne - genetics; Retroelements - genetics; Twin-priming; L1 retrotransposon; Twin-priming; Disease-causing insertion; Insertion bias; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Exon skipping
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.06.071

L1 elements are mammalian retrotransposons contributing to genome evolution and causing rare mutations in human. We describe a de novo insertion of an L1 element into the dystrophin gene resulting in skipping of exon 44 and causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a boy. The L1 element was rearranged due to the twin-priming mechanism, but contrary to all described L1 rearrangements the 5′ region of the inverted L1 sequence ended within the poly(A) tail of the element. Furthermore, the target site for the insertion was located only 87 bp from the insertion site in another patient described previously. These findings can contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of L1 element rearrangement, and may support the notion that some subregions of the human genome could be preferred targets for retroelements using the L1 enzymatic machinery.