The maize En-1/Spm element transposes in potato.

The maize transposable element En-1 has been introduced into a diploid potato line via transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The element is transcriptionally active in potato. Numerous En specific RNAs are observed, including a 6 kb transcript characteristic of an active En-1 element in maize. In contrast to maize, where the 6.0 kb transcript is hardly detectable, this transcript is very abundant in the transgenic potato. Transposition of En-1 in the potato clone was analysed by Southern blot hybridization and confirmed by molecular isolation of En-1 excision and integration events. Sequence data of excision and integration sites revealed footprints and target site duplications similar to the ones described for En-1 in maize.