Computational analysis and characterization of UCE-like elements (ULEs) in plant genomes.

ABSTRACT: Ultraconserved elements (UCEs), stretches of DNA that are identical between distantly related species, are enigmatic genomic features whose function is not well understood. First identified and characterized in mammals, UCEs have been proposed to play important roles in gene regulation, RNA processing, and maintaining genome integrity. However, because all of these functions can tolerate some sequence variation, their ultraconserved and ultraselected nature is not explained. We investigated whether there are highly conserved DNA elements without genic function in distantly related plant genomes. We compared the genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Vitis vinifera; species that diverged ∼115 million years ago (Mya). We identified 36 highly conserved elements with at least 85% similarity that

SUBMITTER: Kritsas K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3514675 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature