Analyses of chromosome copy number and expression level of four genes in the ciliate Chilodonella uncinata reveal a complex pattern that suggests epigenetic regulation.

Gene
Laure Bellec, Laura A Katz

Abstract

Chilodonella uncinata, like all ciliates, contains two distinct nuclei in every cell: a germline micronucleus and a somatic macronucleus. The macronucleus develops from the zygotic nucleus through a series of chromosomal rearrangements. Macronuclear development in C. uncinata yields a nucleus with highly amplified gene-sized chromosomes. The macronucleus is transcriptionally active during vegetative growth while there is no expression in the micronucleus except during a brief period following conjugation. Gene family evolution in ciliates occurs through complex processes including gene duplication and an alternative processing of scrambled genes. Here we use quantitative PCR to compare relative expression levels of eight genes (SSU-rDNA, actin, α-tubulin and five β-tubulin sequences) to their abundance as macronuclear chromosomes. We show that three strains of the morphospecies C. uncinata share similar patterns across all loci. For example, we find an inverse correlation among five β-tubulin genes whereby the more abundant macronuclear chromosomes have lower levels of expression compared to less abundant chromosomes. We discuss the implication of our findings, which suggest that epigenetic mechanisms maintain chromosome copy n...Continue Reading

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Citations

Feb 26, 2013·PloS One·Kevin J SpringRebecca A Zufall
Feb 8, 2014·Acta Neuropathologica Communications·Jonathan M BleaselWoojin Scott Kim
May 18, 2016·Genome Biology and Evolution·Xyrus X Maurer-Alcalá, Laura A Katz
Jun 27, 2018·Genome Biology and Evolution·Xyrus X Maurer-AlcaláLaura A Katz
May 11, 2019·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Xyrus X Maurer-Alcalá, Mariusz Nowacki
Dec 1, 2020·BMC Biology·Yu-Hsuan ChengJun-Yi Leu
Apr 3, 2021·Frontiers in Genetics·Agnes K M Weiner, Laura A Katz
Jul 20, 2021·Trends in Microbiology·Rik VerdonckHervé Philippe

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