Marsupial genome analysis suggests that satellite DNA formation from walb endogenous retrovirus is an event specific to the red‐necked wallaby. (26th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Koga, Akihiko; Hashimoto, Kenji; Honda, Yusuke; Nishihara, Hidenori
• Is Part Of: Genes to cells. Volume 28:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 149
• Page End: 155
• Publication Date: 2022-12-26
• Subjects: LTR retroelement -- mammal -- provirus -- replication slippage -- tandem repeat; Cytogenetics -- Periodicals; Cells -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Molecular genetics -- Periodicals; Genes -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; Biomechanics -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12999
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-9597

Abstract

Abstract: We recently identified walbRep, a satellite DNA residing in the genome of the red‐necked wallaby Notamacropus rufogriseus . It originates from the walb endogenous retrovirus and is organized in a manner in which the provirus structure is retained. The walbRep repeat units feature an average pairwise nucleotide identity as high as 99.5%, raising the possibility of a recent origin. The tammar wallaby N. eugenii is a species estimated to have diverged from the red‐necked wallaby 2–3 million years ago. In PCR analyses of these two and other related species, walbRep‐specific fragment amplification was observed only in the red‐necked wallaby. Sequence database searches for the tammar wallaby resulted in sequence alignment lists that were sufficiently powerful to exclude the possibility of walbRep existence. These results suggested that the walbRep formation occurred in the red‐necked wallaby lineage after its divergence from the tammar wallaby lineage, thus in a time span of maximum 3 million years. Abstract : An endogenous retrovirus constitutes a satellite DNA by being tandemly repeated in a wallaby species. This satellite DNA does not exist in the genome of another, closely related wallaby. Thus, the satellite DNA formation was a recent event.