Extensive telomere repeat arrays in mouse are hypervariable

Starling, J. A., Maule, J., Hastie, N. D., Allshire, R. C. (December 1990) Extensive telomere repeat arrays in mouse are hypervariable. Nucleic Acids Res, 18 (23). pp. 6881-8. ISSN 0305-1048 (Print)0305-1048 (Linking)

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URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2175882
DOI: 10.1093/nar/18.23.6881

Abstract

In this study we have analysed mouse telomeres by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). A number of specific restriction fragments hybridising to a (TTA-GGG)4 probe in the size range 50-150kb can be detected. These fragments are devoid of sites for most restriction enzymes suggesting that they comprise simple repeats; we argue that most of these are likely to be (TTAGGG)n. Each discrete fragment corresponds to the telomere of an individual chromosome and segregates as a Mendelian character. However, new size variants are being generated in the germ line at very high rates such that inbred mice are heterozygous at all telomeres analysable. In addition we show that specific small (approximately 4-12kb) fragments can be cleaved within some terminal arrays by the restriction enzyme MnII which recognises 5'(N7)GAGG3'. Like the complete telomere-repeat arrays (TRA's) these fragments form new variants at high rates and possibly by the same process. We speculate on the mechanisms that may be involved.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Animals Chromosomes/*ultrastructure DNA Probes DNA Restriction Enzymes/metabolism Female *Genetic Variation Male Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Inbred DBA Molecular Weight Muridae *Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
Subjects: organism description > animal > mammal > rodent > mouse
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > telomeres
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 11 December 1990
Date Deposited: 30 Mar 2016 20:21
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2017 16:48
PMCID: PMC332745
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/32282

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