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Evolutionary movement of centromeres in horse, donkey, and zebra.
Abstract: Centromere repositioning (CR) is a recently discovered biological phenomenon consisting of the emergence of a new centromere along a chromosome and the inactivation of the old one. After a CR, the primary constriction and the centromeric function are localized in a new position while the order of physical markers on the chromosome remains unchanged. These events profoundly affect chromosomal architecture. Since horses, asses, and zebras, whose evolutionary divergence is relatively recent, show remarkable morphological similarity and capacity to interbreed despite their chromosomes differing considerably, we investigated the role of CR in the karyotype evolution of the genus Equus. Using appropriate panels of BAC clones in FISH experiments, we compared the centromere position and marker order arrangement among orthologous chromosomes of Burchelli's zebra (Equus burchelli), donkey (Equus asinus), and horse (Equus caballus). Surprisingly, at least eight CRs took place during the evolution of this genus. Even more surprisingly, five cases of CR have occurred in the donkey after its divergence from zebra, that is, in a very short evolutionary time (approximately 1 million years). These findings suggest that in some species the CR phenomenon could have played an important role in karyotype shaping, with potential consequences on population dynamics and speciation.
Publication Date: 2006-01-18 PubMed ID: 16413164DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2005.11.012Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the phenomenon known as centromere repositioning (CR) in horses, donkeys, and zebras. It found that during the evolution of these species, significant CR events have occurred, potentially influencing their karyotype development.
Understanding Centromere Repositioning (CR)
- Centromere Repositioning (CR) is a biological phenomenon that involves the shifting of the centromere to a new position on a chromosome, inactivating the existing one. The order of physical markers on the chromosome remains the same, yet its architecture changes drastically due to the new centromere location.
- The article reveals that key incidents of CR have been observed throughout the evolutionary journey of horses, donkeys, and zebras.
Investigation of CR in Genus Equus
- The study took aim at understanding the role of CR in the evolution of the karyotype – the number and visual appearance of the chromosomes – in the genus Equus, which includes horses, donkeys, and zebras. This group of animals shows notable similarities in physical structure and can interbreed, despite having considerable differences in their chromosomes.
- To explore this, the researchers utilized BAC (Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes) clones in Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) experiments, which helped them compare the centromere positions and arrangements of physical markers on the chromosomes of the zebra, donkey, and horse.
Notable Findings
- The findings revealed that at least eight significant centromere repositioning events took place during the evolution of this genus.
- An unexpected revelation was that five of these CR events occurred in donkeys post their evolutionary divergence from zebras, and within a very short evolutionary timeframe- approximated at around 1 million years.
Implications of the Study
- The results suggest that centromere repositioning could have played a key role in shaping the karyotypes of some species, potentially influencing their population dynamics and even leading to new species.
- This understanding adds to the evolving narrative of genetic diversity and the varying evolutionary paths of related species.
Cite This Article
APA
Carbone L, Nergadze SG, Magnani E, Misceo D, Francesca Cardone M, Roberto R, Bertoni L, Attolini C, Francesca Piras M, de Jong P, Raudsepp T, Chowdhary BP, Guérin G, Archidiacono N, Rocchi M, Giulotto E.
(2006).
Evolutionary movement of centromeres in horse, donkey, and zebra.
Genomics, 87(6), 777-782.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2005.11.012 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Bari, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biological Evolution
- Centromere / genetics
- Centromere / ultrastructure
- Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / genetics
- Equidae / genetics
- Genetic Markers
- Horses / genetics
- In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
- Species Specificity
- Time Factors
Citations
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