Wolfgang Stephan, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
Bruce Walsh, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Published online: December 2007
DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0001700.pub2
Repetitive DNA sequences form a substantial fraction of the genomes of most eukaryotes. Far from conferring fitness benefits to their host, in most cases repetitive sequences are maintained solely by their ability to replicate within the genome.
Keywords: tandem-repetitive DNA; transposable elements; ‘selfish DNA’ hypothesis; mechanisms of copy-number change; natural selection; copy-number variation
| References | |
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| Further Reading | |
| Alexandrov I, Kazakov A, Tumeneva I, Shepelev V and Yurov Y (2001) Alpha-satellite DNA of primates: old and new families. Chromosoma 110: 253–266. | |
| book Berg DE and Howe MM (eds) (1989) Mobile DNA. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology. | |
| book Cavalier-Smith T (ed.) (1985) The Evolution of Genome Size. Chichester, UK: Wiley. | |
| Hedges DJ and Batzer MA (2005) From the margins of the genome: mobile elements shape primate evolution. Bioessays 27(August): 785–794. | |
| Kidwell MG (2006) Transposable elements and the evolution of genome size in eukaryotes. Genetica 115: 49–63. | |
| book Li W-H (1997) Molecular Evolution. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer. | |
| Li YC, Korol AB, Fahima T and Nevo E (2004) Microsatellites within genes: structure, function, and evolution. Molecular Biology and Evolution 21: 991–1007. | |
| Ugarkovic D (2005) Functional elements residing within satellite DNAs. EMBO Reports 6: 1035–1039. | |
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