Rapid evolution of horse satellite DNA.
Abstract: The major satellite of the horse genome consists of about 1 million copies of a 221-bp tandem repeat unit. By fluorescence in situ hybridization it has been localized in the centromeres of 58 of the 64 horse chromosomes. The donkey genome contains a similar but not identical satellite. Strikingly, the equine repeat did not hybridize to DNA of the Grevy zebra, despite the divergence of the horse and zebra only 3 to 5 million years ago and the ability of these species to crossbreed. The evolution of satellite DNA in the Equidae is more rapid than that in other mammalian families, which may be explained by their rapid karyotypic evolution.
Publication Date: 1993-10-01 PubMed ID: 8276394DOI: 10.1006/geno.1993.1433Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article investigates the intriguing rapid evolution of satellite DNA in the horse genome, which surprisingly did not connect with DNA of the Grevy zebra despite closely related ancestry and crossbreeding capabilities.
Overview of the Research
In this research article, the primary focus is on a particular satellite DNA found in the horse genome. This DNA consists of approximately one million copies of a 221-base pair (bp) tandem repeat unit. These repeat units are seen in 58 out of the 64 horse chromosomes.
Location and Similarity of the Satellite DNA
- The location of this satellite DNA was determined using fluorescence in-situ hybridization, a nuclear staining technique that visualizes the particular sequence of the DNA molecule.
- A similar satellite DNA was observed in the donkey genome, indicating some level of shared genetic material and evolution between horses and donkeys. However, the satellite DNA in the donkey genome was not an exact match to that of the horse.
Lack of Hybridization with Grevy Zebra DNA
- In a striking contrast, the horse’s repeat DNA sequence does not hybridize or connect with the Grevy zebra’s DNA. This result is surprising considering the recent divergence of the horse and zebra species (only 3 to 5 million years ago) and their ability to crossbreed.
Evolution Speed of Satellite DNA in the Equidae Family
- The data suggests that the evolution of satellite DNA in the Equidae family, which includes animals like horses, donkeys, and zebras, is faster than that in other mammalian families. This speed may be connected to the quick karyotypic evolution noticed in these species. Karyotypic evolution refers to changes in the chromosome number and structure which is an important driver of species divergences.
Cite This Article
APA
Wijers ER, Zijlstra C, Lenstra JA.
(1993).
Rapid evolution of horse satellite DNA.
Genomics, 18(1), 113-117.
https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1993.1433 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Biological Evolution
- Chromosome Mapping
- Cloning, Molecular
- DNA, Satellite / genetics
- Gene Frequency
- Horses / genetics
- In Situ Hybridization
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Multigene Family
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Piras FM, Cappelletti E, Abdelgadir WA, Salamon G, Vignati S, Santagostino M, Sola L, Nergadze SG, Giulotto E. A Satellite-Free Centromere in Equus przewalskii Chromosome 10. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Feb 18;24(4).
- Piras FM, Nergadze SG, Magnani E, Bertoni L, Attolini C, Khoriauli L, Raimondi E, Giulotto E. Uncoupling of satellite DNA and centromeric function in the genus Equus. PLoS Genet 2010 Feb 12;6(2):e1000845.
- El-Sayed YS, Mohamed OI, Ashry KM, Abd El-Rahman SM. Using species-specific repeat and PCR-RFLP in typing of DNA derived from blood of human and animal species. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2010 Sep;6(3):158-64.
- Hepperger C, Mayer A, Merz J, Vanderwall DK, Dietzel S. Parental genomes mix in mule and human cell nuclei. Chromosoma 2009 Jun;118(3):335-47.
- Musilova P, Kubickova S, Zrnova E, Horin P, Vahala J, Rubes J. Karyotypic relationships among Equus grevyi, Equus burchelli and domestic horse defined using horse chromosome arm-specific probes. Chromosome Res 2007;15(6):807-13.
- Volobouev V, Vogt N, Viegas-Péquignot E, Malfoy B, Dutrillaux B. Characterization and chromosomal location of two repeated DNAs in three Gerbillus species. Chromosoma 1995 Dec;104(4):252-9.
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