| Summary: | The recently discovered family of helitrons, a class of RC (rolling-circle) DNA transposons particularly widespread in eukaryote kingdom, seems to be virtually very active in reshuffling the transcriptome of organisms. These elements are believed to have an important role in the host genome evolution, owing to their frequent capture of host genes. We isolated and characterized a novel helitron, HeliNoto (8.9 kb), from the genome of the icefish species Chionodraco hamatus, belonging to the Channichthyidae, the most derived Notothenioidei, a group of Perciformes that currently dominate the Antarctic waters by virtue of their remarkable cold-adaptation ability. We conducted an accurate structural analysis of Helinoto, including chromosomal localization, and investigated its distribution among Notothenioidei. Finally, we provided, for the first time, evidence for a transcriptional activity of Helinoto in several tissues of C. hamatus.
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