Paleogenomics: Investigation of an ancient family of repetitive sequences present in great numbers in human genome
- Universite de Montreal, Que (Canada)
- Linus Pauling Institute, Palo Alto, CA (United States)
Paleogenomics is the research activity aiming to reconstruct ancient genetic events and/or structures from the {open_quotes}fossil{close_quotes} genomic record. With about 120,000 copies, mammalian interspersed repeats, MIRs, represent the second most abundant family of short interspersed repeats in human DNA, only outnumbered by Alu elements. MIR consensus sequence of 100 nucleotides was reconstructed from 455 mutated copies preserved in contemporary genome (GenBank release 69). As no division into subfamilies was observed, we assume that this consensus represents an ancestral MIR sequence. To find out how far MIRs can be traced down the phylogenetic tree, we examined their distribution in a variety of mammalian and non-mammalian DNAs. Oligonucleotide primers based on the MIR consensus were used, one at a time, for PCR amplification of the genomic fragments flanked by MIR repeats (inter-MIR-PCR). Significant amplification in DNA samples from a variety of placental orders as well as marsupials and monotremes indicates that MIRs originated in early mammals. Sequence analysis is consistent with their proliferation during the Mesozoic era. Electrophoretic profiles of inter-MIR-PCR products are distinct among different species. Intra-species comparison of multiple human samples reveals polymorphic bands segregating as Mendelian traits which can be used as genetic markers in both mapping and fingerprinting.
- OSTI ID:
- 133958
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941009-; ISSN 0002-9297; TRN: 95:005313-0692
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 55, Issue Suppl.3; Conference: 44. annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Montreal (Canada), 18-22 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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