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Some conclusions on the role of redundant DNA and the mechanisms of eukaryotic genome evolution inferred from studies of chromatin diminution in Cyclopoida

Some conclusions on the role of redundant DNA and the mechanisms of eukaryotic genome evolution... The absence of progress in understanding the problem of redundant eukaryotic DNA is stated. This is caused primarily by the attempts to solve this problem either in terms of the traditional approaches (the general phenotypic parameters such as developmental rate, body size, etc. depend on the genome size) or by introducing such vague terms as egoistic, parasitic, or junk DNA. Studying chromatin diminution (CD) in copepods yielded two important conclusions. First, part of the genome of a certain size (94% in Cyclops kolensis first described by the authors) is not needed for somatic functions as it is eliminated during the early (fourth to seventh) cleavage divisions from the presumptive somatic cells. Second, this DNA is not redundant, let alone selfish or junk, relative to the germline cells. In this sense, it can be regarded as invariant (monomorphic) trait that characterizes the species. Analysis of cloned and sequenced DNA regions eliminated from the somatic cell genome by CD (i.e., confined to the germline), which was first carried out for C. kolensis, showed that the molecular structure of this DNA has at least two features of regular organization: a mosaic structure of repetitive sequences and high (sometimes up to 100%) homology between different repeats and subrepeats. We have suggested that the germline-restricted DNA forms a unique molecular portrait of the species genome, thus acting as a significant factor of genetic isolation. Yet, the phenomenon of CD proper as it occurs in Cyclopoida (without disintegration of the chromosome structure) may be regarded as a model of reductional genome evolution, which has repeatedly occurred in the history of eukaryotes. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Russian Journal of Genetics Springer Journals

Some conclusions on the role of redundant DNA and the mechanisms of eukaryotic genome evolution inferred from studies of chromatin diminution in Cyclopoida

Russian Journal of Genetics , Volume 41 (4) – May 10, 2005

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References (57)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by MAIK “Nauka/Interperiodica”
Subject
Biomedicine; Human Genetics; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Animal Genetics and Genomics
ISSN
1022-7954
eISSN
1608-3369
DOI
10.1007/s11177-005-0100-2
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The absence of progress in understanding the problem of redundant eukaryotic DNA is stated. This is caused primarily by the attempts to solve this problem either in terms of the traditional approaches (the general phenotypic parameters such as developmental rate, body size, etc. depend on the genome size) or by introducing such vague terms as egoistic, parasitic, or junk DNA. Studying chromatin diminution (CD) in copepods yielded two important conclusions. First, part of the genome of a certain size (94% in Cyclops kolensis first described by the authors) is not needed for somatic functions as it is eliminated during the early (fourth to seventh) cleavage divisions from the presumptive somatic cells. Second, this DNA is not redundant, let alone selfish or junk, relative to the germline cells. In this sense, it can be regarded as invariant (monomorphic) trait that characterizes the species. Analysis of cloned and sequenced DNA regions eliminated from the somatic cell genome by CD (i.e., confined to the germline), which was first carried out for C. kolensis, showed that the molecular structure of this DNA has at least two features of regular organization: a mosaic structure of repetitive sequences and high (sometimes up to 100%) homology between different repeats and subrepeats. We have suggested that the germline-restricted DNA forms a unique molecular portrait of the species genome, thus acting as a significant factor of genetic isolation. Yet, the phenomenon of CD proper as it occurs in Cyclopoida (without disintegration of the chromosome structure) may be regarded as a model of reductional genome evolution, which has repeatedly occurred in the history of eukaryotes.

Journal

Russian Journal of GeneticsSpringer Journals

Published: May 10, 2005

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