Short tandem repeats and gene function in eukaryotes
Author Information
Author(s): Reinar William B., Krabberød Anders K., Lalun Vilde O., Butenko Melinka A., Jakobsen Kjetill S.
Primary Institution: University of Oslo
Hypothesis
The distribution of short tandem repeat (STR) motif repetitiveness in eukaryote genomes is largely unknown.
Conclusion
STRs accumulate proximally to genes and correlate with gene function and transcription factor profiles across eukaryotes.
Supporting Evidence
- STRs are found in all examined eukaryotic genomes.
- Monomer and dimer STRs delineate gene bodies and translation sites.
- Variation in gene-proximal repetitiveness landscapes correlates with gene function.
- Genes with housekeeping functions are depleted in upstream and downstream repetitiveness.
- Repetitiveness landscapes correlate with transcription factor binding sites.
Takeaway
Scientists studied tiny repeating DNA sequences called STRs in many living things and found that these repeats are often near genes and can affect how those genes work.
Methodology
The study analyzed whole-genome data from 1270 eukaryotic species to assess the repetitiveness of monomer and dimer STRs in gene-proximal regions.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in gene function categorization due to a lack of functional studies in non-model systems.
Limitations
The study did not consider the location of transcription start and stop sites due to inconsistent UTR annotations.
Participant Demographics
The study included 1270 eukaryotic species spanning seven eukaryotic supergroups.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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