B chromosomes: from cytogenetics to systems biology

Though hundreds to thousands of reports have described the distribution of B chromosomes among diverse eukaryote groups, a comprehensive theory of their biological role has not yet clearly emerged. B chromosomes are classically understood as a sea of repetitive DNA sequences that are poor in genes a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chromosoma 2017-02, Vol.126 (1), p.73-81
Main Authors: Valente, Guilherme T., Nakajima, Rafael T., Fantinatti, Bruno E. A., Marques, Diego F., Almeida, Rodrigo O., Simões, Rafael P., Martins, Cesar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Genetics and Genomics
Animals
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cell Biology
Chromosome Mapping
Chromosomes - genetics
Cytogenetic Analysis
Developmental Biology
Eukaryotic Microbiology
Evolution, Molecular
Genomics - methods
Human Genetics
Life Sciences
Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
Review
Systems Biology
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Summary:Though hundreds to thousands of reports have described the distribution of B chromosomes among diverse eukaryote groups, a comprehensive theory of their biological role has not yet clearly emerged. B chromosomes are classically understood as a sea of repetitive DNA sequences that are poor in genes and are maintained by a parasitic-drive mechanism during cell division. Recent developments in high-throughput DNA/RNA analyses have increased the resolution of B chromosome biology beyond those of classical and molecular cytogenetic methods; B chromosomes contain many transcriptionally active sequences, including genes, and can modulate the activity of autosomal genes. Furthermore, the most recent knowledge obtained from omics analyses, which is associated with a systemic view, has demonstrated that B chromosomes can influence cell biology in a complex way, possibly favoring their own maintenance and perpetuation.
ISSN:0009-5915
1432-0886
DOI:10.1007/s00412-016-0613-6