The hAT-family transposable element, hopper, from Bactrocera dorsalis is a functional vector for insect germline transformation

Background Thehopper hAT-family transposable element isolated from the Oriental fruit fly,Bactrocera dorsalis, is distantly related to both theDrosophila hoboelement and theActivatorelement from maize. The original 3120 bphopperBd-Kahelement isolated from the Kahuku wild-type strain was highly degenerate and appeared to have a mutated transposase and terminal sequences, while a second 3131 bp element,hopperBd-we, isolated from awhite eyemutant strain had an intact transposase reading frame and terminal sequences consistent with function. Results ThehopperBd-weelement was tested for function by its ability to mediate germline transformation in two dipteran species other thanB. dorsalis. This was achieved by creating a binary vector/helper transformation system by linking thehopperBd-wetransposase reading frame to aD. melanogaster hsp70promoter for a heat-inducible transposase helper plasmid, and creating vectors marked with theD. melanogastermini-white+orpolyubiquitin-regulated DsRed fluorescent protein markers. Conclusions Both vectors were successfully used to transformD. melanogaster, and the DsRed vector was also used to transform the Caribbean fruit fly,Anastrepha suspensa, indicating a wide range ofhopperfunction in dipteran species and, potentially, non-dipteran species. This vector provides a new tool for insect genetic modification for both functional genomic analysis and the control of insect populations.