Epigenetic characteristics and gene-expression analysis of a de novo centromere in maize
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ABSTRACT: De novo centromeres originate occasionally from non-centromeric regions of chromosomes, providing an excellent model system to study centromeric chromatin. The maize mini-chromosome Dp3a contains a de novo centromere, which was derived from a euchromatic site on the long arm of chromosome 3 that lacks traditional centromeric repeat sequences. Our previous study found that the CENH3 binding domain of this de novo centromere is only 350 kb with a high-density gene distribution with low-density of transposons. Here we analyzed the kinetochore complex assembled on the de novo centromere, which revealed that it resembles the native centromeres. Meiotic analyses showed that the Dp3a mini-chromosome formed bi-orientation during meiosis I and could stably transmit through meiosis. We applied next generation sequencing technology to analyze gene transcription, DNA methylation and histone modifications for this region. Our RNA-seq data revealed that active chromatin is not a barrier for de novo centromere formation. The gene expression level within the Dp3a breakpoints of native chromosome 3 indicated a gene dosage effect due to the additional copy of Dp3a mini-chromosome region in chromosome 3. Bisulfite-ChIP-seq results indicate a slightly increased DNA methylation level after de novo centromere formation, reaching the level of a native centromere. No strand-specific bias of DNA methylation was found at maize native and Dp3a de novo centromeres. H2A-T133 phosphorylation occurs in the CENH3 nucleosome. These results provide insight into the mechanism of de novo centromere formation and subsequent consequences.
ORGANISM(S): Zea mays
PROVIDER: GSE64641 | GEO | 2016/12/01
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA271532
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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