LTR retrotransposons hijack the host heat stress response machinery in Macrostomum lignano
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The evolutionary arms race between transposable elements and their hosts contributes to genomic complexity. Because transposable element mobilization can be deleterious to individual cells and organisms, their activity is generally restricted by the host.

Berezikov group discovered that in the regenerative flatworm model organism Macrostomum lignano, several long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon families independently evolved canonical heat shock elements (HSEs) in their promoters. HSEs rendered these LTR retrotransposons strongly and directly sensitive to heart stress, exhibiting 250-fold increased transcription at elevated temperatures. While the HSE-dependent activation mechanism has been known for plant LTR retrotransposons, this is the first report in animals.

Our results suggest the convergent evolution of heat stress responses in LTR retrotransposons of animals and plants, broadening our understanding of the evolutionary strategies used by transposable elements.

Berezikov group discovered LTR retrotransposons hijacking the host heat stress response machinery in Macrostomum lignano

Details can be found in Ustyantsev, K. et al. Mobile DNA (2025).
Heat-induced transcriptional activation of LTR retrotransposons in the regenerative flatworm Macrostomum lignano