Mutation and selection explain why many eukaryotic centromeric DNA sequences are often A + T rich.

ABSTRACT: We have used chromosome engineering to replace native centromeric DNA with different test sequences at native centromeres in two different strains of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and have discovered that A + T rich DNA, whether synthetic or of bacterial origin, will function as a centromere in this species. Using genome size as a surrogate for the inverse of effective population size (Ne) we also show that the relative A + T content of centromeric DNA scales with Ne across 43 animal, fungal and yeast (Opisthokonta) species. This suggests that in most of these species the A + T content of the centromeric DNA is determined by a balance between selection and mutation. Combining the experimental results and the evolutionary analyses allows us to conclude that A + T rich DNA of a

SUBMITTER: Barbosa AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8754631 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature