Bovine satellite DNAs – a history of the evolution of complexity and its impact in the Bovidae family

Abstract

Despite the many questions regarding satellite DNA sequences and their cellular roles, the evolutionary history of eukaryotic genomes seems to have been largely influenced by this dynamic and multifaceted genomic component. The bovine genome is highly rich in diverse satDNA sequences that differ in monomer sequence and length, complexity, chromosomal location and abundance, as well as in their sequences' evolutionary mechanisms. In the evolution of the Bovidae family, the genomes' repetitive fraction played a central role in karyotype reorganisation, and in the last few decades several studies have demonstrated and reinforced an association between centromeric satDNAs and the process of chromosome evolution in remodelling genomes of Bovidae species. Here, we review different aspects of the molecular nature and genome behaviour of all the satDNA families identified in the bovine genome, including their organisation, abundance, chromosome localisation, variation in sequence, and evolutionary history in the Bovidae family and in particular in the Bovinae subfamily, taking an integrative perspective. "Evolution and satDNA" can be addressed through two complementary views: the satDNA sequence evolution per se, and genome evolution promoted by the satDNA dynamism. SatDNA both provides phylogenetic information and is a critical genomic component that enables sequence and chromosome evolutionfeatures arising from its presence, absence or alteration.

Conservation, Divergence, and Functions of Centromeric Satellite DNA Families in the Bovidae

“…1993, 1996; Chaves et al. 2000, 2005), unlike families named SAT1.723 , SATIV , SAT1.711a , and SAT1.711b that are not in all Pecora, although results are somewhat equivocal (Escudeiro et al. 2019).…”

Decoding the Role of Satellite DNA in Genome Architecture and Plasticity—An Evolutionary and Clinical Affair

“…The dynamic nature of repetitive elements is clearly a basilar reason for genomic plasticity (e.g., [14,102,142,143]) and it is in fact a way of having a low impact on the euchromatic genome [14,97]. Today, an increasing body of evidence strongly validates the involvement of satDNA in the modulation of genomic architectures of a large number of taxa, as in the case of bovids [21,104,144,145], rodents [17,111,143,146], suiformes [57] or genets [147]. This largely extends beyond mammalian evolution, as it can also be observed in insects (e.g., [54,148]), reptiles (e.g., [149]), plants [150] and many other lineages.…”

“…The analyses of the sequences at the breakpoint regions preceding a translocation are of great importance in understanding the translocation event [21,131]. These sequences are essentially centromeric satDNAs, whose detailed physical and organizational analysis contributed much to better comprehend the chromosomal mechanism behind the rob (1;29) translocation [20,145].…”

“…This results from their highly dynamic behavior, leading to rapid changes in sequence composition and array size within short evolutionary periods, which can lead to speciation (reviewed in [13]). Moreover, these sequences have been consistently correlated with fragile sites and evolutionary breakpoint regions in diverse species [14][15][16][17][18][19] and are intrinsically involved in frequent chromosomal rearrangements like Robertsonian translocations [20,21]. SatDNA dynamics has been shown to promote genome plasticity and to have an active involvement in the modulation of genomic architecture by promoting rearrangements.…”

Identification and characterization of satellite DNAs in two-toed sloths of the genus Choloepus (Megalonychidae, Xenarthra)

“…Finally, several studies have demonstrated that satDNAs, especially those found in centromeres, are associated with Robertsonian translocations, the main chromosome rearrangements related to Bovidae genome evolution 5,[52][53][54][55] . It would be interesting to investigate if there is also a link between satDNAs and chromosome rearrangements in Xenarthra, as the number of available genomes of this group will certainly increase in the near future.…”