Subtelomere organization in the genome of the microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi: patterns of repeated sequences and physicochemical signatures.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi is an obligate intracellular eukaryotic pathogen with a small nuclear genome (2.9 Mbp) consisting of 11 chromosomes. Although each chromosome end is known to contain a single rDNA unit, the incomplete assembly of subtelomeric regions following sequencing of the genome identified only 3 of the 22 expected rDNA units. While chromosome end assembly remains a difficult process in most eukaryotic genomes, it is of significant importance for pathogens because these regions encode factors important for virulence and host evasion.

Results

Here we report the first complete assembly of E. cuniculi chromosome ends, and describe a novel mosaic structure of segmental duplications (EXT repeats) in these regions. EXT repeats range in s

SUBMITTER: Dia N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4704409 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature