The telomere repeat motif of basal Metazoa

Walther Traut; Monika Szczepanowski; Magda Vítková; Christian Opitz; František Marec; Jan Zrzavý

doi:10.1007/s10577-007-1132-3

The telomere repeat motif of basal Metazoa

Walther Traut^*, Monika Szczepanowski, Magda Vítková, Christian Opitz, František Marec, Jan Zrzavý

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Biology

92 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In most eukaryotes the telomeres consist of short DNA tandem repeats and associated proteins. Telomeric repeats are added to the chromosome ends by telomerase, a specialized reverse transcriptase. We examined telomerase activity and telomere repeat sequences in representatives of basal metazoan groups. Our results show that the 'vertebrate' telomere motif (TTAGGG) _n is present in all basal metazoan groups, i.e. sponges, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, and Placozoa, and also in the unicellular metazoan sister group, the Choanozoa. Thus it can be considered the ancestral telomere repeat motif of Metazoa. It has been conserved from the metazoan radiation in most animal phylogenetic lineages, and replaced by other motifs-according to our present knowledge-only in two major lineages, Arthropoda and Nematoda.

Original language	English
Journal	Chromosome Research
Volume	15
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	371-382
Number of pages	12
ISSN	0967-3849
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-007-1132-3
Publication status	Published - 01.04.2007

Funding

We are grateful to several researchers who provided us with live material: Masako Asahina-Jindrová and Martina Machácˇková (both Institute of Parasitology, Cˇ eské Budeˇjovice, Czech Republic), Marten Boersma (Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Germany), Thomas C. G. Bosch (Universität Kiel, Germany), Sabine Holst, Gerhard Jarms (Universität Hamburg, Germany), Werner E. G. Müller (Universität Mainz, Germany), Bernd Schierwater (Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover, Germany), and Nicole Sommer (Universität Lübeck, Germany). Boris Anokhin (Universität Kiel, Germany) and Klaus Kropf (Universität Mainz, Germany) shared their expertise in cytogenetic preparations of Hydra and Suberites, respectively, with us. Günther Mertl (Universität Lübeck, Germany) determined the freshwater sponge species. Ondrˇej Scheinost (Hospital Cˇ eské Budeˇjovice, Czech Republic) provided us with human DNA. M.V. and F.M. were supported by grant 206/06/ 1860 of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic and from the Entomology Institute project Z50070508; J.Z. from the Faculty of Biological Sciences project MSM6007665801.

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abstract = "In most eukaryotes the telomeres consist of short DNA tandem repeats and associated proteins. Telomeric repeats are added to the chromosome ends by telomerase, a specialized reverse transcriptase. We examined telomerase activity and telomere repeat sequences in representatives of basal metazoan groups. Our results show that the 'vertebrate' telomere motif (TTAGGG) n is present in all basal metazoan groups, i.e. sponges, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, and Placozoa, and also in the unicellular metazoan sister group, the Choanozoa. Thus it can be considered the ancestral telomere repeat motif of Metazoa. It has been conserved from the metazoan radiation in most animal phylogenetic lineages, and replaced by other motifs-according to our present knowledge-only in two major lineages, Arthropoda and Nematoda.",

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AU - Traut, Walther

AU - Szczepanowski, Monika

AU - Vítková, Magda

AU - Opitz, Christian

AU - Marec, František

AU - Zrzavý, Jan

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AB - In most eukaryotes the telomeres consist of short DNA tandem repeats and associated proteins. Telomeric repeats are added to the chromosome ends by telomerase, a specialized reverse transcriptase. We examined telomerase activity and telomere repeat sequences in representatives of basal metazoan groups. Our results show that the 'vertebrate' telomere motif (TTAGGG) n is present in all basal metazoan groups, i.e. sponges, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, and Placozoa, and also in the unicellular metazoan sister group, the Choanozoa. Thus it can be considered the ancestral telomere repeat motif of Metazoa. It has been conserved from the metazoan radiation in most animal phylogenetic lineages, and replaced by other motifs-according to our present knowledge-only in two major lineages, Arthropoda and Nematoda.

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The telomere repeat motif of basal Metazoa

Abstract

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