Mariner elements are Class 2 transposons.
They are well characterised in plants. Non-autonomous derivatives (Stowaway MITEs) are very abundant in grasses, less in dicots.
The terminal repeats usually end in CTCCTCCC (5' end) and GGGAGGAG (3' end).
Upon insertion, they create a 2 bp Target site duplication (TSD).
TIR5: Terminal inverted repeat
Function: Contains motifs that are recognized and bound by the transposase. Essential for transposition.
Protein motifs:
TASE: Transposase
Function: Required for excision and insertion
Protein motifs: DDE
TIR3: Terminal inverted repeat
Function: Contains motifs that are recognized and bound by the transposase. Essential for transposition.
Protein motifs:
| Taxonomic group | Total elements |
|---|---|
| Ascomycota | 11 |
| Embryophyta | 262 |
| Fungi | 101 |
| Plantae | 387 |