Composition and organization of active centromere sequences in complex genomes

BMC Genomics

Research Article

Huntington F Willard¹  Karen E Hayden² 

[1] Genome Biology Group, Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA;Genome Biology Group, Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA;Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, 501 Engineering 2 Building, Mailstop CBSE/ITI, UC Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, 95064, Santa Cruz, CA, USA;

关键词: Centromere;    Satellite DNAs;    CENP-A;    Centromere protein A;    Canis familiaris;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2164-13-324

 received in 2012-02-21, accepted in 2012-07-20,  发布年份 2012

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundCentromeres are sites of chromosomal spindle attachment during mitosis and meiosis. While the sequence basis for centromere identity remains a subject of considerable debate, one approach is to examine the genomic organization at these active sites that are correlated with epigenetic marks of centromere function.ResultsWe have developed an approach to characterize both satellite and non-satellite centromeric sequences that are missing from current assemblies in complex genomes, using the dog genome as an example. Combining this genomic reference with an epigenetic dataset corresponding to sequences associated with the histone H3 variant centromere protein A (CENP-A), we identify active satellite sequence domains that appear to be both functionally and spatially distinct within the overall definition of satellite families.ConclusionsThese findings establish a genomic and epigenetic foundation for exploring the functional role of centromeric sequences in the previously sequenced dog genome and provide a model for similar studies within the context of less-characterized genomes.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Hayden and Willard; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012