Candidate vectors of horizontal transfer of BovB retrotransposon

Abstract

The horizontal transfer of retrotransposons has a significant impact on the regulatory system of a multicellular organism, but the biological basis of horizontal transfer has been sufficiently studied up to date. Earlier, we identified the conserved sequence of retrotransposons recombination products of the bovine chromosome 1 nucleotide sequence region. This conserved sequence has a high percent identity with LINE BovB, which is widely known as horizontal transfer participant. The current study analyzes the presence of the conserved sequence of retrotransposons recombination products of cattle in members of different taxonomic groups to detect potential vectors of horizontal transfer. It was shown that the conserved sequence with a high percent identity can be found in 43 members of different species, including eukaryotes, prokaryotes and viruses. The identified potential vectors of horizontal retrotransposon transfer associated with various diseases of farm animals are of particular interest. Such potential vectors are hemiparasites Babesia ovata and Babesia bigemina (pathogens causing babesiosis), bacterium Clostridium botulinum (the causative agent of botulism), Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (the causative agent of lung cancer in sheep). They all have regions with a high percent identity (not lower than 95%) to the studied bovine conserved sequence. Thus, we identify new potential vectors of horizontal retrotransposon transfer as well as the possible influence of retrotransposons on regulatory networks affecting host protection from infectious diseases.