Analyze Diet
European journal of histochemistry : EJH2010; 54(1); e2; doi: 10.4081/ejh.2010.e2

Shared Y chromosome repetitive DNA sequences in stallion and donkey as visualized using whole-genomic comparative hybridization.

Abstract: The genome of stallion (Spanish breed) and donkey (Spanish endemic Zamorano-Leonés) were compared using whole comparative genomic in situ hybridization (W-CGH) technique, with special reference to the variability observed in the Y chromosome. Results show that these diverging genomes still share some highly repetitive DNA families localized in pericentromeric regions and, in the particular case of the Y chromosome, a sub-family of highly repeated DNA sequences, greatly expanded in the donkey genome, accounts for a large part of the chromatin in the stallion Y chromosome.
Publication Date: 2010-01-28 PubMed ID: 20353909PubMed Central: PMC3167294DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2010.e2Google 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.
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research compares the genomes of a stallion and a donkey, focusing on the variability in the Y chromosome. They find that despite divergence, the genomes still share some highly repetitive DNA sequences, especially in regards to the Y chromosome.

Background of the Research

  • The researchers aimed to compare the genomes of stallions and donkeys, two animals that belong to the same equine family but have unique genetic profiles.
  • The principle technique used was Whole Comparative Genomic in situ Hybridization (W-CGH), a method that allows for large-scale genomic comparison at the chromosomal level.
  • The study paid particular attention to differences and similarities in the Y chromosome, the sex-determining chromosome in most mammalian species, between the two animals.

Findings of the Research

  • The genomes of the Spanish breed stallion and the Spanish endemic Zamorano-Leonés donkey, despite their divergence, still share several highly repetitive DNA sequences. These are sequences of nucleotides that are repeated in the genome, often playing a role in the structure and function of the chromosomes.
  • These shared sequences are primarily found in the pericentromeric regions – the part of a chromosome close to the centromere – the location where sister chromatids are held together during cell division.
  • In the case of the Y chromosome, a sub-family of highly repetitive DNA sequences that is significantly expanded in the donkey genome forms a large part of the chromatin in the stallion’s Y chromosome. Chromatin is a complex of DNA and proteins that forms chromosomes within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.

Implication of the Findings

  • These findings shed light on the genetic similarities and differences between stallions and donkeys, despite their diverging genomes. Understanding the shared portions of a genome can help in many genetic studies including evolution, speciation, hybridization and conservation.
  • The revelation of the shared highly repetitive DNA sequences, especially on the Y chromosome, could also enrich current understanding on male infertility in equine species and contribute to further breeding and conservation practices.
  • The finding brings a more precise understanding of the structure and function of genomes, especially sex chromosomes, which can provide a foundation for future genetic studies within and across species.

Cite This Article

APA
Gosálvez J, Crespo F, Vega-Pla JL, López-Fernández C, Cortés-Gutiérrez EI, Devila-Rodriguez MI, Mezzanotte R. (2010). Shared Y chromosome repetitive DNA sequences in stallion and donkey as visualized using whole-genomic comparative hybridization. Eur J Histochem, 54(1), e2. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2010.e2

Publication

ISSN: 2038-8306
NlmUniqueID: 9207930
Country: Italy
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 1
Pages: e2
PII: e2

Researcher Affiliations

Gosálvez, J
  • Department of Biology, Genetics Unit, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, spain. jaime.gosalvez@uam.es
Crespo, F
    Vega-Pla, J L
      López-Fernández, C
        Cortés-Gutiérrez, E I
          Devila-Rodriguez, M I
            Mezzanotte, R

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Comparative Genomic Hybridization
              • DNA Probes
              • Equidae / genetics
              • Horses / genetics
              • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
              • Male
              • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics
              • Y Chromosome / genetics

              References

              This article includes 26 references
              1. BENIRSCHKE K, BROWNHILL LE, BEATH MM. Somatic chromosomes of the horse, the donkey and their hybrids, the mule and the hinny.. J Reprod Fertil 1962 Dec;4:319-26.
                pubmed: 13970509doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0040319google scholar: lookup
              2. TRUJILLO JM, STENIUS C, CHRISTIAN LC, OHNO S. Chromosomes of the horse, the donkey, and the mule.. Chromosoma 1962;13:243-8.
                pubmed: 13994375doi: 10.1007/bf00577041google scholar: lookup
              3. Richer CL, Power MM, Klunder LR, McFeely RA, Kent MG. Standard karyotype of the domestic horse (Equus caballus). Committee for standardized karyotype of Equus caballus. The Second International Conference for Standardization of Domestic Animal Karyotypes, INRA, Jouy-en Josas, France, 22nd-26th May 1989.. Hereditas 1990;112(3):289-93.
              4. Ryder OA, Chemnick LG, Bowling AT, Benirschke K. Male mule foal qualifies as the offspring of a female mule and jack donkey.. J Hered 1985 Sep-Oct;76(5):379-81.
                pubmed: 4056372
              5. Archidiacono N, Antonacci R, Marzella R, Finelli P, Lonoce A, Rocchi M. Comparative mapping of human alphoid sequences in great apes using fluorescence in situ hybridization.. Genomics 1995 Jan 20;25(2):477-84.
                pubmed: 7789981doi: 10.1016/0888-7543(95)80048-qgoogle scholar: lookup
              6. Waye JS, Willard HF. Nucleotide sequence heterogeneity of alpha satellite repetitive DNA: a survey of alphoid sequences from different human chromosomes.. Nucleic Acids Res 1987 Sep 25;15(18):7549-69.
                pmc: PMC306267pubmed: 3658703doi: 10.1093/nar/15.18.7549google scholar: lookup
              7. Pita M, Fernandez JL, Gosálvez J. Whole-comparative genomic hybridization (W-CGH): 1. The quick overview of repetitive DNA sequences on a genome.. Chromosome Res 2003;11(7):673-9.
                pubmed: 14606629doi: 10.1023/a:1025937726614google scholar: lookup
              8. Pita M, Zabal-Aguirre M, Arroyo F, Gosálvez J, López-Fernández C, DE LA Torre J. Arcyptera fusca and Arcyptera tornosi repetitive DNA families: whole-comparative genomic hybridization (W-CGH) as a novel approach to the study of satellite DNA libraries.. J Evol Biol 2008 Jan;21(1):352-361.
              9. Pita M, Garcia-Casado P, Toro MA, Gosálvez J. Differential expansion of highly repeated sequences in the swine subgenomes.. J Zool Syst Evol Res 2008;46:186–9.
              10. Dávila-Rodríguez MI, Cortés-Gutiérrez EI, López-Fernández C, Pita M, Mezzanotte R, Gosálvez J. Whole-comparative genomic hybridization in domestic sheep (Ovis aries) breeds.. Cytogenet Genome Res 2009;124(1):19-26.
                pubmed: 19372665doi: 10.1159/000200084google scholar: lookup
              11. Rice WR. Evolution of the Y chromosome in animals.. Biosciences 1999;46:331–43.
              12. Charlesworth B. The organization and evolution of the human Y chromosome.. Genome Biol 2003;4(9):226.
                pmc: PMC193647pubmed: 12952526doi: 10.1186/gb-2003-4-9-226google scholar: lookup
              13. Ferguson-Smith MA, Trifonov V. Mammalian karyotype evolution.. Nat Rev Genet 2007 Dec;8(12):950-62.
                pubmed: 18007651doi: 10.1038/nrg2199google scholar: lookup
              14. Oakenfull EA, Clegg JB. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Equus and the evolution of alpha and theta globin genes.. J Mol Evol 1998 Dec;47(6):772-83.
                pubmed: 9847419doi: 10.1007/pl00006436google scholar: lookup
              15. Oakenfull EA, Lim H, Ryder O. A survey of equid mitochondrial DNA: implications for evolution, genetic diversity and conservation of Equus.. Conserv Genet 2000;1:341–55.
              16. Raudsepp T, Christensen K, Chowdhar BP. Cytogenetics of donkey chromosomes: nomenclature proposal based on GTG-banded chromosomes and depiction of NORs and telomeric sites.. Chromosome Res 2000;8(8):659-70.
                pubmed: 11196129doi: 10.1023/a:1026707002538google scholar: lookup
              17. Fry K, Salser W. Nucleotide sequences of HS-alpha satellite DNA from kangaroo rat Dipodomys ordii and characterization of similar sequences in other rodents.. Cell 1977 Dec;12(4):1069-84.
                pubmed: 597857doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90170-2google scholar: lookup
              18. Mestrović N, Plohl M, Mravinac B, Ugarković D. Evolution of satellite DNAs from the genus Palorus--experimental evidence for the "library" hypothesis.. Mol Biol Evol 1998 Aug;15(8):1062-8.
              19. Arnason U, Grétarsdóttir S, Widegren B. Mysticete (baleen whale) relationships based upon the sequence of the common cetacean DNA satellite.. Mol Biol Evol 1992 Nov;9(6):1018-28.
              20. Nijman IJ, Lenstra JA. Mutation and recombination in cattle satellite DNA: a feedback model for the evolution of satellite DNA repeats.. J Mol Evol 2001 Apr;52(4):361-71.
                pubmed: 11343132doi: 10.1007/s002390010166google scholar: lookup
              21. 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. Evolutionary movement of centromeres in horse, donkey, and zebra.. Genomics 2006 Jun;87(6):777-82.
                pubmed: 16413164doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2005.11.012google scholar: lookup
              22. Montefalcone G, Tempesta S, Rocchi M, Archidiacono N. Centromere repositioning.. Genome Res 1999 Dec;9(12):1184-8.
                pmc: PMC311001pubmed: 10613840doi: 10.1101/gr.9.12.1184google scholar: lookup
              23. Ventura M, Archidiacono N, Rocchi M. Centromere emergence in evolution.. Genome Res 2001 Apr;11(4):595-9.
                pmc: PMC311056pubmed: 11282974doi: 10.1101/gr.152101google scholar: lookup
              24. Chandley AC, Jones RC, Dott HM, Allen WR, Short RV. Meiosis in interspecific equine hybrids. I. The male mule (Equus asinus X E. caballus) and hinny (E. caballus X E. asinus).. Cytogenet Cell Genet 1974;13(4):330-41.
                pubmed: 4430187doi: 10.1159/000130284google scholar: lookup
              25. Landim e Alvarenga FC, Bortolozzi J. Ultrastructure of the hinny (Equus asinus x Equus caballus) seminiferous epithelium.. Anat Histol Embryol 1994 Dec;23(4):343-51.
              26. Gosálvez J, Garcia de La Fuente R. The effect of a deficiency on chiasma distribution and frequency in a male of Stauroderus scalaris (Orthoptera). Caryologia 1981;34:473–81.

              Citations

              This article has been cited 4 times.
              1. Casali C, Siciliani S, Zannino L, Biggiogera M. Histochemistry for nucleic acid research: 60 years in the European Journal of Histochemistry.. Eur J Histochem 2022 Apr 20;66(2).
                doi: 10.4081/ejh.2022.3409pubmed: 35441834google scholar: lookup
              2. Pellicciari C. On the future contents of a small journal of histochemistry.. Eur J Histochem 2012 Dec 10;56(4):e51.
                doi: 10.4081/ejh.2012.e51pubmed: 23361247google scholar: lookup
              3. Coluccia E, Pichiri G, Nieddu M, Coni P, Manconi S, Deiana AM, Salvadori S, Mezzanotte R. Identification of two new repetitive elements and chromosomal mapping of repetitive DNA sequences in the fish Gymnothorax unicolor (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae).. Eur J Histochem 2011 May 27;55(2):e12.
                doi: 10.4081/ejh.2011.e12pubmed: 22193293google scholar: lookup
              4. Dávila-Rodríguez MI, Cortés Gutiérrez EI, Cerda Flores RM, Pita M, Fernández JL, López-Fernández C, Gosálvez J. Constitutive heterochromatin polymorphisms in human chromosomes identified by whole comparative genomic hybridization.. Eur J Histochem 2011;55(3):e28.
                doi: 10.4081/ejh.2011.e28pubmed: 22073375google scholar: lookup