Molecular characterization and chromosomal distribution of <i>Tc1/mariner</i> transposons in <i>Boana</i> species (Anura, Hylidae)

Transposable elements play an important role in determining the size and structure of eukaryotic genomes. Represented by several families, the <i>Tc1/mariner</i> superfamily is widely distributed in animal and plant genomes, and its structure has been characterized. <i>Boana</i> is a Neotropical genus of treefrogs, and despite the frequent 2<i>n</i> = 24 chromosomes found in its representatives, the karyotypic organization of the species cannot be considered conserved due to the scarcity of studies focusing on chromosomal mapping of repetitive DNA sequences. Here, <i>Tc1/mariner</i> elements were isolated and mapped on the chromosomes of three <i>Boana</i> species, followed by structural and phylogenetic analysis. The physical mapping revealed dispersed signals in euchromatin with small accumulations in some heterochromatic regions. All <i>Tc1</i>/<i>mariner</i> transposons isolated in this study presented high sequence integrity, suggesting that these elements had a recent invasion phase and are active in the host genomes of these frog species. <i>Boana albopuntata</i> and <i>Boana faber</i> presented a DD36E signature, while <i>Boana prasina</i> showed a new DD37E signature with a similar organizational structure and a close relationship with the known DD36E/<i>Incomer</i> family. These findings improve our understanding of the diversity of <i>Tc1</i>/<i>mariner</i> transposons and their role in the evolution of the hylid frog genome and karyotype.