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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Detection of Copy Number Alterations Using Single Cell Sequencing
Published on: February 17, 2017
Under the magnifying glass: The ups and downs of rDNA copy number
Selina M Kindelay1, Keith A Maggert2
1Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
Abstract:
The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) in Drosophila is found as two additive clusters of individual 35 S cistrons. The multiplicity of rDNA is essential to assure proper translational demands, but the nature of the tandem arrays expose them to copy number variation within and between populations. Here, we discuss means by which a cell responds to insufficient rDNA copy number, including a historical view of rDNA magnification whose mechanism was inferred some 35 years ago. Recent work has revealed that multiple conditions may also result in rDNA loss, in response to which rDNA magnification may have evolved. We discuss potential models for the mechanism of magnification, and evaluate possible consequences of rDNA copy number variation.
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