RNA-dependent genome processing during nuclear differentiation: the model systems of stichotrichous ciliates

Fuhrmann, Gloria; Swart, Estienne; Nowacki, Mariusz; Lipps, Hans J. (2013). RNA-dependent genome processing during nuclear differentiation: the model systems of stichotrichous ciliates. Epigenomics, 5(2), pp. 229-236. Future Medicine 10.2217/epi.13.15

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We introduce ciliated protozoa, and more specifically the stichotrichous ciliates Oxytricha and Stylonychia, as biological model systems for the analysis of programmed DNA-reorganization processes during nuclear differentiation. These include DNA excision, DNA elimination, reordering of gene segments and specific gene amplification. We show that small nuclear RNAs specify DNA sequences to be excised or retained, but also discuss the need for a RNA template molecule derived from the parental nucleus for these processes. This RNA template guides reordering of gene segments to become functional genes and determines gene copy number in the differentiated nucleus. Since the template is derived from the parental macronucleus, gene reordering and DNA amplification are inherited in a non-Mendelian epigenetic manner.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Further Contribution)
Division/Institute:	08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Cell Biology 08 Faculty of Science > Other Institutions > Teaching Staff, Faculty of Science 08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Cell Biology > Ciliate
UniBE Contributor:	Swart, Estienne Carl, Nowacki, Mariusz
Subjects:	500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology
ISSN:	1750-1911
Publisher:	Future Medicine
Language:	English
Submitter:	Mariusz Nowacki
Date Deposited:	24 Apr 2014 08:41
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:30
Publisher DOI:	10.2217/epi.13.15
PubMed ID:	23566098
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/45230