title: Retrotransposon insertion targeting: a mechanism for homogenization of centromere sequences on nonhomologous chromosomes.
abstract: The centromeres of most eukaryotic organisms consist of highly repetitive arrays that are similar across nonhomologous chromosomes. These sequences evolve rapidly, thus posing a mystery as to how such arrays can be homogenized. Recent work in species in which centromere-enriched retrotransposons occur indicates that these elements preferentially insert into the centromeric regions. In two different Arabidopsis species, a related element was recognized in which the specificity for such targeting was altered. These observations provide a partial explanation for how homogenization of centromere DNA sequences occurs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri at Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA. birchlerj@missouri.edu
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Birchler
authors.forename: Gernot G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Presting
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics*; D018626:Retroelements
chemical_list: D018626:Retroelements