Mechanism and Regulation of Tn10 Transposition

Abstract

Transposon Tn10 is 9300 bp long and has inverted repeats of insertion sequence IS10 at its ends (Kleckner et al. 1975; Fig. 1). One of these sequences, IS10-Right (IS10-R) encodes a transposase function that acts at the ends of Tn10 to promote transposition of the entire element and acts at the inside and outside ends of IS10-R to promote transposition of the insertion sequence alone (Foster et al. 1981; Halling et al. 1982; see also below). Transposase may also interact with target DNA during insertion when a symmetrical, Tn10-specific target DNA sequence is recognized and staggered cleavages are made to either side (Halling and Kleckner 1982). IS10 transposase is preferentially cis-acting because it does not diffuse freely through the Cell (Morisato et al. 1983).