The nucleus of cells contains folded chromosomes that make up the genome. The three-dimensional organization of the genome determines which genes are switched on and off in different cell types. The study of evolutionary dynamics can be done by comparing whole genomes from different species.
The three-dimensional structure of the genome has evolved during the evolution of mammals, according to an international team of researchers.
The study was published in Cell Reports and involved researchers from the National Centre for Genome Analysis (CNAG- CRG) of the Centre for Genomic Regulation.
We show the dynamics of three-dimensional genome organization in different mammals. The results of the study suggest that the patterns of genome evolution are influenced by the folding of the chromosomes.
The existence of different degrees of genome folding in different species is shown by us.
The research team studied the genomes of several mammal species. The study has allowed the reconstruction of the common ancestor of the different species of mammals.
It was possible to identify specific patterns of chromosome folding using the analysis carried out. The African elephant and the aardvark are among the afrotherians, along with the Tasmanian devil and the kangaroo. According to the study, different configurations of the three-dimensional structure of the genome can be caused by chromosomal rearrangements.
The cell nucleus in all mammals is not the same as the chromosomes. According to Luca lvarez Gonzlez, the first author of the study, there is a very specific disposition of chromosomes in marsupials that had only been described in some yeast species.
The organization of the genome in mammals is much more diverse than has been seen before.
New avenues of research are opened up by the study. New functional and evolutionary insights can be provided by studying the dynamics of genome organization in distant species.
The principles of 3D chromosome folding and evolutionary genome reshuffling are discussed in Cell Reports. There is an article in the journalcelrep.
Journal information: Cell Reports
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