PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Paolo Mita
AU  - Aleksandra Wudzinska
AU  - Xiaoji Sun
AU  - Joshua Andrade
AU  - Shruti Nayak
AU  - David J. Kahler
AU  - Sana Badri
AU  - John LaCava
AU  - Beatrix Ueberheide
AU  - Chi Y. Yun
AU  - David Fenyo
AU  - Jef D. Boeke
TI  - LINE-1 and the cell cycle: protein localization and functional dynamics
AID  - 10.1101/147587
DP  - 2017 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 147587
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/30/147587.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/30/147587.full
AB  - LINE-1/L1 retrotransposon sequences comprise 17% of the human genome. Among the many classes of mobile genetic elements, L1 is the only autonomous retrotransposon that still drives human genomic plasticity today. Through its co-evolution with the human genome, L1 has intertwined itself with host cell biology to aid its proliferation. However, a clear understanding of L1’s lifecycle and the processes involved in restricting its insertion and its intragenomic spreading remains elusive. Here we identify modes of L1 proteins’ entrance into the nucleus, a necessary step for L1 proliferation. Using functional, biochemical, and imaging approaches, we also show a clear cell cycle bias for L1 retrotransposition that peaks during the S phase. Our observations provide a basis for novel interpretations about the nature of nuclear and cytoplasmic L1 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) and the potential role of DNA replication in L1 retrotransposition.