Transposable elements in a cold-tolerant fly species, Drosophila montana: a link to adaptation to the harsh cold environments
Background Substantial discoveries during the past century have revealed that transposable elements (TEs) can play a crucial role in genome evolution by affecting gene expression and inducing genetic rearrangements, among other molecular and structural effects. Yet, our knowledge on the role of TEs in adaptation to extreme climates is still at its infancy. The availability of long-read sequencing has opened up the possibility to identify and study potential functional effects of TEs with higher precision. In this work, we used Drosophila montana as a model for cold-adapted organisms to study the association between TEs and adaptation to harsh climates. Results Using the PacBio long-read sequencing technique, we de novo identified and manually curated TE sequences in five Drosophila montana genomes from eco-geographical distinct populations. We identified 489 new TE consensus sequences which represented 92% of the total TE consensus in D. montana. Overall, 11-13% of the D. montana genom