Production of a unique multi-lamella structure in the nuclei of yeast expressing Drosophila copia gag precursor.

Drosophila retrotransposon copia produces virus-like particles (VLPs) in the nuclei of cultured Drosophila cells. The VLPs contain copia RNA and reverse transcriptase activity, and thus, play a major role in copia replication. Here we have expressed the copia gag polyprotein precursor in yeast. The precursor, which includes copia protease itself, showed correct autoprocessing to produce a unique multi-lamella structure in the nuclei of the yeast cells. This expression system should be useful for the analysis of nuclear localization of the major copia VLP protein, and furthermore, would provide important information concerning the mechanism of copia VLPs formation.