Repeat-sequence turnover shifts fundamentally in species with large genomes.

Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Novák, Petr
Guignard, Maïté S.
Neumann, Pavel
Kelly, Laura J.
Mlinarec, Jelena
Koblížková, Andrea
Dodsworth, Steven
Kovařík, Aleš
Pellicer, Jaume
Wang, Wencai
Macas, Jiří
Leitch, Ilia J.
Leitch, Andrew R.
Date published
October 19, 2020
Abstract
Given the 2,400-fold range of genome sizes (0.06–148.9 Gbp (gigabase pair)) of seed plants (angiosperms and gymnosperms) with a broadly similar gene content (amounting to approximately 0.03 Gbp), the repeat-sequence content of the genome might be expected to increase with genome size, resulting in the largest genomes consisting almost entirely of repetitive sequences. Here we test this prediction, using the same bioinformatic approach for 101 species to ensure consistency in what constitutes a repeat. We reveal a fundamental change in repeat turnover in genomes above around 10 Gbp, such that species with the largest genomes are only about 55% repetitive. Given that genome size influences many plant traits, habits and life strategies, this fundamental shift in repeat dynamics is likely to affect the evolutionary trajectory of species lineages.
Funder
Funder nameAwards
Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
NE/G020256/1
Akademie Věd České Republiky, Cechia
RVO:60077344
Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, Spain
Ramón y Cajal Fellowship (RYC-2017-2274)
European Regional Development Fund, European Union / European Social Fund, European Union
ELIXIR-CZ–Capacity Building (no. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001777) - ELIXIR-CZ research infrastructure project (LM2015047)
Journal title
Nature Plants
Volume
6
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Place of publication
Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany
ISSN
2055-026X
eISSN
2055-0278
Date accepted
September 14, 2020
Official URL
Rights statement
In Copyright
DOI
Keywords