Retrotransposon Gag Domain Containing Protein 1 (RGAG1)

Transposable elements (TEs) promote various chromosomal rearrangements more efficiently, and often more specifically, than other cellular processes. Retrotransposons are structurally similar to retroviruses and are bounded by long terminal repeats. This entry represents eukaryotic Gag or capsid-related retrotranspon-related proteins. There is a central motif QGXXEXXXXXFXXLXXH that is common to Retroviridae gag-proteins, but is poorly conserved. The retrotransposons that maintain telomeres in Drosophila melanogaster have unique features that are shared across all Drosophila species but are not found in other retrotransposons. Comparative analysis of these features provides insight into their importance for telomere maintenance in Drosophila.