Transposable Elements in Cnidarians
Searches for transposable elements in cnidarians have been carried out by the Robertson lab and the Meselson lab.
Robertson used PCR followed by cloning and sequencing to identify mariner transposable elements. He was able to isolated multiple mariner elements from Hydra but not from several other hydrozoans (Pennaria, Campanularia, Tubularia, and Clava) or from several anthozoans (Renilla, Leptogorgia, Corynactis, and Anthopleura). This work is described in the following paper:
Robertson, H.M. (1997). Multiple mariner transposons in flatworms and hydras are related to those of insects. J. Heredity 88: 195-201. (PDF file)
The Meselson lab used PCR to screen for several transposable elements classes (mariner, Tc1, LINE, and Gypsy). In some cases the PCR products were cloned and sequenced. In other cases they only determined whether or not a PCR product was obtained. For Hydra, they obtained PCR products using primers for mariner, Tc1, and LINE. The identifies of the mariner and Tc1 products were verified by sequencing. No product was obtained with the primers for Gypsy. Aurelia was tested with the mariner and LINE primers but not with the Tc1 or Gypsy primers. PCR products were obtained for both the mariner and LINE primer sets, but neither product was verified by sequencing. This work is described in the following paper:
Arkhipova, I. And M. Meselson (2000). Transposable elements in sexual and ancient asexual taxa. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97: 14473-14477. (PDF file)