Discovery of 33mer in chromosome 21 - the largest alpha satellite higher order repeat unit among all human somatic chromosomes.

ABSTRACT: The centromere is important for segregation of chromosomes during cell division in eukaryotes. Its destabilization results in chromosomal missegregation, aneuploidy, hallmarks of cancers and birth defects. In primate genomes centromeres contain tandem repeats of ~171 bp alpha satellite DNA, commonly organized into higher order repeats (HORs). In spite of crucial importance, satellites have been understudied because of gaps in sequencing - genomic "black holes". Bioinformatical studies of genomic sequences open possibilities to revolutionize understanding of repetitive DNA datasets. Here, using robust (Global Repeat Map) algorithm we identified in hg38 sequence of human chromosome 21 complete ensemble of alpha satellite HORs with six long repeat units (≥20 mers), five of them novel. Novel 3

SUBMITTER: Gluncic M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6718397 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature