Centromeres attach chromosomes to spindle microtubules during cell division and, despite this conserved role, show paradoxically rapid evolution and are typified by complex repeats. We used long-read sequencing to generate the Col-CEN Arabidopsis thaliana genome assembly that resolves all five centromeres. The centromeres consist of megabase-scale tandemly repeated satellite arrays, which support CENTROMERE SPECIFIC HISTONE H3 (CENH3) occupancy and are densely DNA methylated, with satellite variants private to each chromosome. CENH3 preferentially occupies satellites that show the least amount of divergence and occur in higher-order repeats. The centromeres are invaded by ATHILA retrotransposons, which disrupt genetic and epigenetic organization. Centromeric crossover recombination is suppressed, yet low levels of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks occur that are regulated by DNA methylation. We propose that Arabidopsis centromeres are evolving through cycles of satellite homogenization and retrotransposon-driven diversification.

• MeSH
• Arabidopsis genetika   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• centromera chemie   genetika   MeSH
• chromozomy rostlin genetika   MeSH
• epigeneze genetická * MeSH
• genom rostlinný MeSH
• histony analýza   MeSH
• meióza MeSH
• metylace DNA MeSH
• molekulární evoluce MeSH
• rekombinace genetická MeSH
• retroelementy MeSH
• satelitní DNA MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• histony MeSH
• retroelementy MeSH
• satelitní DNA MeSH

Ever since the introduction of high-throughput sequencing following the human genome project, assembling short reads into a reference of sufficient quality posed a significant problem as a large portion of the human genome-estimated 50-69%-is repetitive. As a result, a sizable proportion of sequencing reads is multi-mapping, i.e., without a unique placement in the genome. The two key parameters for whether or not a read is multi-mapping are the read length and genome complexity. Long reads are now able to span difficult, heterochromatic regions, including full centromeres, and characterize chromosomes from "telomere to telomere". Moreover, identical reads or repeat arrays can be differentiated based on their epigenetic marks, such as methylation patterns, aiding in the assembly process. This is despite the fact that long reads still contain a modest percentage of sequencing errors, disorienting the aligners and assemblers both in accuracy and speed. Here, I review the proposed and implemented solutions to the repeat resolution and the multi-mapping read problem, as well as the downstream consequences of reference choice, repeat masking, and proper representation of sex chromosomes. I also consider the forthcoming challenges and solutions with regards to long reads, where we expect the shift from the problem of repeat localization within a single individual to the problem of repeat positioning within pangenomes.

• Klíčová slova
• long reads, multi-mapping, reference, repeats, satellite,
• MeSH
• centromera chemie   MeSH
• délka genomu MeSH
• genom lidský * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mapování chromozomů metody   MeSH
• metylace DNA MeSH
• mikrosatelitní repetice * MeSH
• pohlavní chromozomy chemie   MeSH
• telomery chemie   MeSH
• výpočetní biologie metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Satellite repeats are major sequence constituents of centromeres in many plant and animal species. Within a species, a single family of satellite sequences typically occupies centromeres of all chromosomes and is absent from other parts of the genome. Due to their common origin, sequence similarities exist among the centromere-specific satellites in related species. Here, we report a remarkably different pattern of centromere evolution in the plant tribe Fabeae, which includes genera Pisum, Lathyrus, Vicia, and Lens. By immunoprecipitation of centromeric chromatin with CENH3 antibodies, we identified and characterized a large and diverse set of 64 families of centromeric satellites in 14 species. These families differed in their nucleotide sequence, monomer length (33-2,979 bp), and abundance in individual species. Most families were species-specific, and most species possessed multiple (2-12) satellites in their centromeres. Some of the repeats that were shared by several species exhibited promiscuous patterns of centromere association, being located within CENH3 chromatin in some species, but apart from the centromeres in others. Moreover, FISH experiments revealed that the same family could assume centromeric and noncentromeric positions even within a single species. Taken together, these findings suggest that Fabeae centromeres are not shaped by the coevolution of a single centromeric satellite with its interacting CENH3 proteins, as proposed by the centromere drive model. This conclusion is also supported by the absence of pervasive adaptive evolution of CENH3 sequences retrieved from Fabeae species.

• Klíčová slova
• CENH3, ChIP-seq, centromere evolution, plant chromosomes, satellite DNA,
• MeSH
• centromera chemie   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• Fabaceae genetika   MeSH
• genetická variace * MeSH
• satelitní DNA chemie   MeSH
• selekce (genetika) MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• satelitní DNA MeSH

Chromosome pairing in meiosis usually starts in the vicinity of the telomere attachment to the nuclear membrane and congregation of telomeres in the leptotene bouquet is believed responsible for bringing homologue pairs together. In a heterozygote for an inversion of a rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosome arm in wheat, a distal segment of the normal homologue is capable of chiasmate pairing with its counterpart in the inverted arm, located near the centromere. Using 3D imaging confocal microscopy, we observed that some telomeres failed to be incorporated into the bouquet and occupied various positions throughout the entire volume of the nucleus, including the centromere pole. Rye telomeres appeared ca. 21 times more likely to fail to be included in the telomere bouquet than wheat telomeres. The frequency of the out-of-bouquet rye telomere position in leptotene was virtually identical to the frequency of telomeres deviating from Rabl's orientation in the nuclei of somatic cells, and was similar to the frequency of synapsis of the normal and inverted chromosome arms, but lower than the MI pairing frequency of segments of these two arms normally positioned across the volume of the nucleus. Out-of-position placement of the rye telomeres may be responsible for reduced MI pairing of rye chromosomes in hybrids with wheat and their disproportionate contribution to aneuploidy, but appears responsible for initiating chiasmate pairing of distantly positioned segments of homology in an inversion heterozygote.

• Klíčová slova
• 3D FISH, Centromere, Leptotene bouquet, Pairing initiation, Telomere,
• MeSH
• buněčné jádro genetika   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• centromera chemie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• chiméra genetika   MeSH
• chromozomální inverze * MeSH
• chromozomy rostlin chemie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• heterozygot MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• konfokální mikroskopie MeSH
• párování chromozomů MeSH
• počítačové zpracování obrazu statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• profáze meiózy I * MeSH
• pšenice genetika   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• rostlinné buňky metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• telomery chemie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• žito genetika   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• zobrazování trojrozměrné metody   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

A taxonomic division of the family Bovidae (Artiodactyla) is difficult and the evolutionary relationships among most bovid subfamilies remain uncertain. In this study, we isolated the cattle satellite I clone BTREP15 (1.715 satellite DNA family) and autosomal centromeric DNAs of members of ten bovid tribes. We wished to determine whether the analysis of fluorescence in situ hybridization patterns of the cattle satellite I clone (BTREP15) and tribe-specific centromeric repeats isolated by laser microdissection would help to reveal some of the ambiguities occurring in the systematic classification of the family Bovidae. The FISH study of the presence and distribution of the cattle satellite I clone BTREP15 (1.715 satellite DNA family) within members of ten bovid tribes was not informative. FISH analysis of autosomal centromeric DNA probes in several species within one tribe revealed similar hybridization patterns in autosomes confirming tribal homogeneity of these probes. Sex chromosomes showed considerable variation in sequence composition and arrangement not only between tribes but also between species of one tribe. According to our findings it seems that Oreotragus oreotragus developed its own specific satellite DNA which does not hybridize to any other bovid species analysed. Our results suggest O. oreotragus as well as Aepyceros melampus may be unique species not particularly closely related to any of the recognized bovid tribes. This study indicates the isolation of tribe-specific centromeric DNAs by laser microdissection and cloning the sequence representing the main motif of these repetitive DNAs could offer the perspectives for comparative phylogenetic studies.

• MeSH
• biologická evoluce MeSH
• centromera chemie   genetika   MeSH
• DNA sondy MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• laserová záchytná mikrodisekce MeSH
• přežvýkavci klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• satelitní DNA genetika   MeSH
• skot MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• skot MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA sondy MeSH
• satelitní DNA MeSH

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) combined with high-resolution cytometry was used to determine the topographic characteristics of the centromeric heterochromatin (of the chromosomes 6, 8, 9, 17) and the tumor suppressor gene TP53 (which is located on chromosome 17) in cells of the human leukemia cell lines ML-1 and U937. Analysis was performed on cells that were either untreated or irradiated with gamma rays and incubated for different intervals after exposure. Compared to untreated cells, homologous centromeres and the TP53 genes were found closer to each other and also closer to the nuclear center 2 h after irradiation. The spatial relationship between genetic elements returned to that of the unirradiated controls during the next 2-3 h. Statistical evaluation of our experimental results shows that homologous centromeres and the homologous genes are positioned closer to each other 2 h after irradiation because they are localized closer to the center of the nucleus (probably due to more pronounced decondensation of the chromatin related to repair). This radial movement of genetic loci, however, is not connected with repair of DSBs by processes involving homologous recombination, because the angular distribution of homologous sequences remains random after irradiation.

• MeSH
• buněčné jádro chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• centromera chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• geny účinky záření   MeSH
• heterochromatin chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• leukemie genetika   patologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské chromozomy chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• nádorové kmenové buňky chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• oprava DNA MeSH
• počítačové zpracování obrazu MeSH
• poškození DNA MeSH
• rekombinace genetická MeSH
• U937 buňky chemie   účinky záření   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• záření gama MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• heterochromatin MeSH

Using single and dual colour fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) combined with image analysis techniques the topographic characteristics of genes and centromeres in nuclei of human colon tissue cells were investigated. The distributions of distances from the centre-of-nucleus to genes (centromeres) and from genes to genes (centromeres to centromeres) were studied in normal colon tissue cells found in the neighbourhood of tumour samples, in tumour cell line HT-29 and in promyelocytic HL-60 cell line for comparison. Our results show that the topography of genetic loci determined in 3D-fixed cell tissue corresponds to that obtained for 2D-fixed cells separated from the tissue. The distributions of the centre-of-nucleus to gene (centromere) distances and gene to gene (centromere to centromere) distances and their average values are different for various genetic loci but similar for normal colon tissue cells, HT-29 colon tumour cell line and HL-60 promyelocytic cell line. It suggests that the arrangement of genetic loci in cell nucleus is conserved in different types of human cells. The investigations of trisomic loci in HT-29 cells revealed that the location of the third genetic element is not different from the location of two homologues in diploid cells. We have shown that the topographic parameters used in our experiments for different genetic elements are not tissue or tumour specific. In order to validate high-resolution cytometry for oncology, further investigations should include more precise parameters reflecting the state of chromatin in the neighbourhood of critical oncogenes or tumour suppresser genes.

• MeSH
• buněčné jádro chemie   MeSH
• buňky HT-29 MeSH
• centromera chemie   MeSH
• DNA nádorová analýza   MeSH
• HL-60 buňky MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční * MeSH
• interfáze MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory tračníku chemie   genetika   patologie   MeSH
• počítačové zpracování obrazu MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA nádorová MeSH