Absence of positive selection on CenH3 in Luzula suggests that holokinetic chromosomes may suppress centromere drive.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The centromere drive theory explains diversity of eukaryotic centromeres as a consequence of the recurrent conflict between centromeric repeats and centromeric histone H3 (CenH3), in which selfish centromeres exploit meiotic asymmetry and CenH3 evolves adaptively to counterbalance deleterious consequences of driving centromeres. Accordingly, adaptively evolving CenH3 has so far been observed only in eukaryotes with asymmetric meiosis. However, if such evolution is a consequence of centromere drive, it should depend not only on meiotic asymmetry but also on monocentric or holokinetic chromosomal structure. Selective pressures acting on CenH3 have never been investigated in organisms with holokinetic meiosis despite the fact that holokinetic chromosomes have been

SUBMITTER: Zedek F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5155603 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature