piggyBac转座子的交互作用研究

The piggyBac（PB）transposon is currently the most promising tool for animal transgenesis，due to its high transposition efficiency, large cargo capacity and remobilization without any traces. However, PB transposons are not only widespread in nature, but also remains many active endogenous piggyBac-like elements in organisms. Therefore, there is the possibility of cross-mobilizations between the endogenous PB transposons and exogenous vectors. This will arise the great concerns of post integration instability, or application limitations of PB system in animals and even ecological safety issues. Previously, we isolated three active piggyBac-like elements in insects, which provides materials for carrying out the study of cross mobility between PB tranposases, inverted terminal and sub-terminal repeat sequencs. Through a combination of molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics analysis, to explore the key functional domains in controlling the cross mobility of piggyBac. Finally trying to clarify the mechanisms of PB inter-identification, shearing and transposition. And propose feasible control approaches to achieve the security and stability of PB system, which will do great help to improve PB system, and to promote the application of this transgenic technology in the field of entomology.

piggyBac（PB）转座子有广泛的高转座活性、强大的负载能力以及切离不留足迹等特点，是动物转基因领域最具应用前景的载体工具。但是PB转座子不仅在自然界中广泛分布，而且保留有大量的活性类似因子，这些内源PB因子与外源载体之间的交互作用是影响目的基因插入稳定性、转座载体的应用范围和转基因生物生态安全性的重要隐患。因此，本项目拟在前期分离获得了多个活性PB类似因子的基础上,结合分子生物学技术和生物信息学分析的方法，开展PB转座子不同末端、亚末端和转座酶之间交互识别、剪切和转座的活性以及专一性研究，挖掘影响PB转座子互作的关键功能结构域，最终阐明PB转座子交互作用的机制及其控制途径。研究成果对促进PB转座子应用技术的日趋成熟和完善，推动该技术在昆虫学领域的应用具有重要的理论和实践意义。