Dataset Information

Identification and characterization of satellite DNAs in two-toed sloths of the genus Choloepus (Megalonychidae, Xenarthra).

ABSTRACT: Choloepus, the only extant genus of the Megalonychidae family, is composed of two living species of two-toed sloths: Choloepus didactylus and C. hoffmanni. In this work, we identified and characterized the main satellite DNAs (satDNAs) in the sequenced genomes of these two species. SATCHO1, the most abundant satDNA in both species, is composed of 117 bp tandem repeat sequences. The second most abundant satDNA, SATCHO2, is composed of ~ 2292 bp tandem repeats. Fluorescence in situ hybridization in C. hoffmanni revealed that both satDNAs are located in the centromeric regions of all chromosomes, except the X. In fact, these satDNAs present some centromeric characteristics in their sequences, such as dyad symmetries predicted to form secondary structures. PCR experiments indicated the presence of SATCHO1 sequences in two other Xenarthra species: the tree-toed sloth Bradypus variegatus and the anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla. Nevertheless, SATCHO1 is present as large tandem arrays only in Choloepus species, thus likely representing a satDNA exclusively in this genus. Our results reveal interesting features of the satDNA landscape in Choloepus species with the potential to aid future phylogenetic studies in Xenarthra and mammalian genomes in general.

SUBMITTER: Sena RS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7644632 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Identification and characterization of satellite DNAs in two-toed sloths of the genus Choloepus (Megalonychidae, Xenarthra).

Sena Radarane Santos RS Heringer Pedro P Valeri Mirela Pelizaro MP Pereira Valéria Socorro VS Kuhn Gustavo C S GCS Svartman Marta M

Scientific reports 20201105 1

Choloepus, the only extant genus of the Megalonychidae family, is composed of two living species of two-toed sloths: Choloepus didactylus and C. hoffmanni. In this work, we identified and characterized the main satellite DNAs (satDNAs) in the sequenced genomes of these two species. SATCHO1, the most abundant satDNA in both species, is composed of 117 bp tandem repeat sequences. The second most abundant satDNA, SATCHO2, is composed of ~ 2292 bp tandem repeats. Fluorescence in situ hybridization i ...[more]

PMID: 33154538

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Project description:It is usually beneficial for species to restrict activity to a particular phase of the 24-hour cycle as this enables the development of morphological and behavioural adaptations to enhance survival under specific biotic and abiotic conditions. Sloth activity patterns are thought to be strongly related to the environmental conditions due to the metabolic consequences of having a low and highly variable core body temperature. Understanding the drivers of sloth activity and their ability to withstand environmental fluctuations is of growing importance for the development of effective conservation measures, particularly when we consider the vulnerability of tropical ecosystems to climate change and the escalating impacts of anthropogenic activities in South and Central America. Unfortunately, the cryptic nature of sloths makes long term observational research difficult and so there is very little existing literature examining the behavioural ecology of wild sloths. Here, we used micro data loggers to continuously record, for the first time, the behaviour of both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths over periods of days to weeks. We investigate how fluctuations in the environmental conditions affect the activity of sloths inhabiting a lowland rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and examined how this might relate to their low power lifestyle. Both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths were found to be cathemeral in their activity, with high levels of between-individual and within-individual variation in the amounts of time spent active, and in the temporal distribution of activity over the 24-hour cycle. Daily temperature did not affect activity, although Bradypus sloths were found to show increased nocturnal activity on colder nights, and on nights following colder days. Our results demonstrate a distinct lack of synchronicity within the same population, and we suggest that this pattern provides sloths with the flexibility to exploit favourable environmental conditions whilst reducing the threat of predation.

Dataset Information

Identification and characterization of satellite DNAs in two-toed sloths of the genus Choloepus (Megalonychidae, Xenarthra).

Publications

Identification and characterization of satellite DNAs in two-toed sloths of the genus Choloepus (Megalonychidae, Xenarthra).

Similar Datasets

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