Centromere evolution and CpG methylation during vertebrate speciation

Nat Commun. 2017 Nov 28;8(1):1833. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01982-7.

Abstract

Centromeres and large-scale structural variants evolve and contribute to genome diversity during vertebrate speciation. Here, we perform de novo long-read genome assembly of three inbred medaka strains that are derived from geographically isolated subpopulations and undergo speciation. Using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing, we obtain three chromosome-mapped genomes of length ~734, ~678, and ~744Mbp with a resource of twenty-two centromeric regions of length 20-345kbp. Centromeres are positionally conserved among the three strains and even between four pairs of chromosomes that were duplicated by the teleost-specific whole-genome duplication 320-350 million years ago. The centromeres do not all evolve at a similar pace; rather, centromeric monomers in non-acrocentric chromosomes evolve significantly faster than those in acrocentric chromosomes. Using methylation sensitive SMRT reads, we uncover centromeres are mostly hypermethylated but have hypomethylated sub-regions that acquire unique sequence compositions independently. These findings reveal the potential of non-acrocentric centromere evolution to contribute to speciation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Centromere / classification
  • Centromere / genetics*
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • CpG Islands*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Markers
  • Genetic Speciation*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genome
  • Methylation
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Mutation
  • Oryzias / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Telomere / genetics
  • Vertebrates / genetics*

Substances

  • Genetic Markers