Ccmar1, a full-length mariner element from the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata

Using a PCR primer specific to the ITR sequence of a deleted mariner element we amplified a fragment of similar to 1300 bp from the genome of Ceratitis capitata. Analysis of four clones showed that they differed by similar to 4.6% in nucleotide sequence and exhibited high homology to mariner elements of the mellifera subfamily. One clone in particular, Ccmar1.18, was found to possess an ORF of 338 amino acids together with many of the features typical of mariner elements. The consensus sequence, Ccmar1, derived from these clones is presented. Maximum parsimony phylogenetic analysis of the Ccmar1 element confirms its position at the periphery of the mariner mellifera subfamily. The Ccmar1 element is estimated to be present in about 500 copies in the genome. The evolutionary history of the element in relation to the colonization history of the medfly is discussed.