The effect of pulsed streamer-like discharge in liquid on transcriptional activation of retrotransposon genes of a red alga, porphyra yezoensis

Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that accomplished transposition via an RNA intermediate. These elements can be transcriptionally activated by stress factors, such as UV light, ozone, pathogens, wounding and drought. A red alga, porphyra yezoensis has recently been recognized as a model plant for fundamental and applied study in marine biological science. In this paper, pulsed streamer-like discharge in liquid was used as a new stress condition, and the transcription level of a copia-like retrotansposon gene PyRE1 of a red alga, porphyra yezoensis was investigated. From the results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments, the transcription of PyRE1 was activated by applying pulsed streamer-like discharge. The results suggest that pulsed streamer-like discharge in liquid can be used as a new stress condition to activate retrotransposon genes and can provide a useful tool for insertion mutagenesis and genome research in biology field.