The Centromere Paradox: Stable Inheritance with Rapidly Evolving DNA

Henikoff, Steven; Ahmad, Kami; Malik, Harmit S.

doi:10.1126/science.1062939

Cited by 1,156 publications

(1,210 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…The centromere of chromosome 2 was previously assigned to positions which correspond to the chromosomal regions of either the 45S rDNA, the major or the minor Type III repeat signals [8,25,28]. CENH3 is a good marker for assaying centromere activity since it is found only in functional centromeres in eukaryotes [29-35]. The preparation of anti-CENH3 antibody in cucumber would be used to prove the location of functional centromere on cucumber chromosome 2.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An integrated molecular cytogenetic map of Cucumis sativus L. chromosome 2

et al. 2011

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BackgroundIntegration of molecular, genetic and cytological maps is still a challenge for most plant species. Recent progress in molecular and cytogenetic studies created a basis for developing integrated maps in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).ResultsIn this study, eleven fosmid clones and three plasmids containing 45S rDNA, the centromeric satellite repeat Type III and the pericentriomeric repeat CsRP1 sequences respectively were hybridized to cucumber metaphase chromosomes to assign their cytological location on chromosome 2. Moreover, an integrated molecular cytogenetic map of cucumber chromosomes 2 was constructed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping of 11 fosmid clones together with the cucumber centromere-specific Type III sequence on meiotic pachytene chromosomes. The cytogenetic map was fully integrated with genetic linkage map since each fosmid clone was anchored by a genetically mapped simple sequence repeat marker (SSR). The relationship between the genetic and physical distances along chromosome was analyzed.ConclusionsRecombination was not evenly distributed along the physical length of chromosome 2. Suppression of recombination was found in centromeric and pericentromeric regions. Our results also indicated that the molecular markers composing the linkage map for chromosome 2 provided excellent coverage of the chromosome.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An integrated molecular cytogenetic map of Cucumis sativus L. chromosome 2

et al. 2011

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“…The centromeres of most eukaryotic chromosomes have particular genetic and chromatin configurations. Typically, centromeres are composed of one or more families of tandem repetitive element, and centromeric nucleosomes contain special histone variants [40].…”

Section: Formatting For Replication For Transmission To Daughter Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How life changes itself: The Read–Write (RW) genome

Shapiro

2013

Physics of Life Reviews

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The genome has traditionally been treated as a Read-Only Memory (ROM) subject to change by copying errors and accidents. In this review, I propose that we need to change that perspective and understand the genome as an intricately formatted Read-Write (RW) data storage system constantly subject to cellular modifications and inscriptions. Cells operate under changing conditions and are continually modifying themselves by genome inscriptions. These inscriptions occur over three distinct time-scales (cell reproduction, multicellular development and evolutionary change) and involve a variety of different processes at each time scale (forming nucleoprotein complexes, epigenetic formatting and changes in DNA sequence structure). Research dating back to the 1930s has shown that genetic change is the result of cell-mediated processes, not simply accidents or damage to the DNA. This cell-active view of genome change applies to all scales of DNA sequence variation, from point mutations to large-scale genome rearrangements and whole genome duplications (WGDs). This conceptual change to active cell inscriptions controlling RW genome functions has profound implications for all areas of the life sciences.

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“…Fifteen years ago, Henikoff et al (2001) proposed a model of centromere drive to explain why centromeric chromatin and fundamental kinetochore proteins -despite their highly conserved function in faithful chromosomal segregation -are rapidly evolving instead of being fixed at one optimal state. They suggested that kinetochore proteins are in evolutionary conflict with centromeric satellite DNA that exploits asymmetric female meiosis to secure its preferential transmission to the egg (which is the only surviving meiotic product) at the expense of its homologous counterpart.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Absence of positive selection on CenH3 inLuzulasuggests that holokinetic chromosomes may suppress centromere drive

Zedek

Bureš

2016

Ann Bot

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Background and Aims The centromere drive theory explains diversity of eukaryotic centromeres as a consequence of the recurrent conflict between centromeric repeats and centromeric histone H3 (CenH3), in which selfish centromeres exploit meiotic asymmetry and CenH3 evolves adaptively to counterbalance deleterious consequences of driving centromeres. Accordingly, adaptively evolving CenH3 has so far been observed only in eukaryotes with asymmetric meiosis. However, if such evolution is a consequence of centromere drive, it should depend not only on meiotic asymmetry but also on monocentric or holokinetic chromosomal structure. Selective pressures acting on CenH3 have never been investigated in organisms with holokinetic meiosis despite the fact that holokinetic chromosomes have been hypothesized to suppress centromere drive. Therefore, the present study evaluates selective pressures acting on the CenH3 gene in holokinetic organisms for the first time, specifically in the representatives of the plant genus Luzula (Juncaceae), in which the kinetochore formation is not co-localized with any type of centromeric repeat.Methods PCR, cloning and sequencing, and database searches were used to obtain coding CenH3 sequences from Luzula species. Codon substitution models were employed to infer selective regimes acting on CenH3 in Luzula.Key Results In addition to the two previously published CenH3 sequences from L. nivea, 16 new CenH3 sequences have been isolated from 12 Luzula species. Two CenH3 isoforms in Luzula that originated by a duplication event prior to the divergence of analysed species were found. No signs of positive selection acting on CenH3 in Luzula were detected. Instead, evidence was found that selection on CenH3 of Luzula might have been relaxed.Conclusions The results indicate that holokinetism itself may suppress centromere drive and, therefore, holokinetic chromosomes might have evolved as a defence against centromere drive.

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The Centromere Paradox: Stable Inheritance with Rapidly Evolving DNA

Cited by 1,156 publications

References 83 publications

An integrated molecular cytogenetic map of Cucumis sativus L. chromosome 2

An integrated molecular cytogenetic map of Cucumis sativus L. chromosome 2

How life changes itself: The Read–Write (RW) genome

Absence of positive selection on CenH3 inLuzulasuggests that holokinetic chromosomes may suppress centromere drive

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