L1 integration in a transgenic mouse model

To study integration of the human LINE-1 retrotransposon (L1) in vivo, we developed a transgenic mouse model of L1 retrotransposition that displays de novo somatic L1 insertions at a high frequency, occasionally several insertions per mouse. We mapped 3' integration sites of 51 insertions by Thermal Asymmetric Interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR). Analysis of integration locations revealed a broad genomic distribution with a modest preference for intergenic regions. We characterized the complete structures of 33 de novo retrotransposition events. Our results highlight the large number of highly truncated L1s, as over 52% (27/51) of total integrants were < 1/3 the length of a full-length element. New integrants carry all structural characteristics typical of genomic L1s, including a number with inversions, deletions, and S'-end microhomologies to the target DNA sequence. Notably, at least 13% (7/51) of all insertions contain a short stretch of extra nucleotides at their 5' end, which we postulate result from template-jumping by the L1-encoded reverse transcriptase. We propose a unified model of L1 integration that explains all of the characteristic features of L1 retrotransposition, such as 5' truncations, inversions, extra nucleotide additions, and 5' boundary and inversion point microhomologies.