<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def _element_to_bson(key, value, check_keys, opts):
 """Encode a single key, value pair."""

    if not isinstance(key, string_type):
        raise InvalidDocument("documents must have only string keys, "
                              "key was %r" % (key,))
    if check_keys:
        if key.startswith("$"):
            raise InvalidDocument("key %r must not start with '$'" % (key,))
        if "." in key:
            raise InvalidDocument("key %r must not contain '.'" % (key,))

    name = _make_name(key)
    return _name_value_to_bson(name, value, check_keys, opts)