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Published on: August 12, 2019
The wide distribution and horizontal transfers of beta satellite DNA in eukaryotes
Jiawen Yang1, Bin Yuan2, Yu Wu3
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
Abstract:
Beta satellite DNA (satDNA), also known as Sau3A sequences, are repetitive DNA sequences reported in human and primate genomes. It is previously thought that beta satDNAs originated in old world monkeys and bursted in great apes. In this study, we searched 7821 genome assemblies of 3767 eukaryotic species and found that beta satDNAs are widely distributed across eukaryotes. The four major branches of eukaryotes, animals, fungi, plants and Harosa/SAR, all have multiple clades containing beta satDNAs. These results were also confirmed by searching whole genome sequencing data (SRA) and PCR assay. Beta satDNA sequences were found in all the primate clades, as well as in Dermoptera and Scandentia, indicating that the beta satDNAs in primates might originate in the common ancestor of Primatomorpha or Euarchonta. In contrast, the widely patchy distribution of beta satDNAs across eukaryotes presents a typical scenario of multiple horizontal transfers.
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