title: Genome size diversity in angiosperms and its influence on gene space.
abstract: Genome size varies c. 2400-fold in angiosperms (flowering plants), although the range of genome size is skewed towards small genomes, with a mean genome size of 1C=5.7Gb. One of the most crucial factors governing genome size in angiosperms is the relative amount and activity of repetitive elements. Recently, there have been new insights into how these repeats, previously discarded as 'junk' DNA, can have a significant impact on gene space (i.e. the part of the genome comprising all the genes and gene-related DNA). Here we review these new findings and explore in what ways genome size itself plays a role in influencing how repeats impact genome dynamics and gene space, including gene expression.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodsworth
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK. Electronic address: i.leitch@kew.org.
authors.forename: Ilia J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Leitch
mesh_terms: D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D059646:Genome Size / Q000235:genetics*; D018745:Genome, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D020071:Interspersed Repetitive Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant