Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants
The gene coding for the telomerase reverse transcriptase (<i>TERT</i>) is essential for the maintenance of telomeres. Previously we described the presence of three <i>TERT</i> paralogs in the allotetraploid plant <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, while a single <i>T...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/1783 |
| _version_ | 1797411408590143488 |
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| author | Petr Fajkus Vratislav Peška Jiří Fajkus Eva Sýkorová |
| author_facet | Petr Fajkus Vratislav Peška Jiří Fajkus Eva Sýkorová |
| author_sort | Petr Fajkus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The gene coding for the telomerase reverse transcriptase (<i>TERT</i>) is essential for the maintenance of telomeres. Previously we described the presence of three <i>TERT</i> paralogs in the allotetraploid plant <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, while a single <i>TERT</i> copy was identified in the paleopolyploid model plant <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. Here we examine the presence, origin and functional status of <i>TERT</i> variants in allotetraploid <i>Nicotiana</i> species of diverse evolutionary ages and their parental genome donors, as well as in other diploid and polyploid plant species. A combination of experimental and in silico bottom-up analyses of <i>TERT</i> gene copies in <i>Nicotiana</i> polyploids revealed various patterns of retention or loss of parental <i>TERT</i> variants and divergence in their functions. RT–qPCR results confirmed the expression of all the identified <i>TERT</i> variants. In representative plant and green algal genomes, our synteny analyses show that their <i>TERT</i> genes were located in a conserved locus that became advantageous after the divergence of eudicots, and the gene was later translocated in several plant groups. In various diploid and polyploid species, translocation of <i>TERT</i> became fixed in target loci that show ancient synapomorphy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:45:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-322aafadd6ae4f1aa35ceb144fc1c9ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:45:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-322aafadd6ae4f1aa35ceb144fc1c9ff2023-12-03T13:15:48ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-02-01224178310.3390/ijms22041783Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid PlantsPetr Fajkus0Vratislav Peška1Jiří Fajkus2Eva Sýkorová3Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech RepublicInstitute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265 Brno, Czech RepublicThe gene coding for the telomerase reverse transcriptase (<i>TERT</i>) is essential for the maintenance of telomeres. Previously we described the presence of three <i>TERT</i> paralogs in the allotetraploid plant <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, while a single <i>TERT</i> copy was identified in the paleopolyploid model plant <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. Here we examine the presence, origin and functional status of <i>TERT</i> variants in allotetraploid <i>Nicotiana</i> species of diverse evolutionary ages and their parental genome donors, as well as in other diploid and polyploid plant species. A combination of experimental and in silico bottom-up analyses of <i>TERT</i> gene copies in <i>Nicotiana</i> polyploids revealed various patterns of retention or loss of parental <i>TERT</i> variants and divergence in their functions. RT–qPCR results confirmed the expression of all the identified <i>TERT</i> variants. In representative plant and green algal genomes, our synteny analyses show that their <i>TERT</i> genes were located in a conserved locus that became advantageous after the divergence of eudicots, and the gene was later translocated in several plant groups. In various diploid and polyploid species, translocation of <i>TERT</i> became fixed in target loci that show ancient synapomorphy.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/1783polyploidy<i>Nicotiana</i>telomerasegene evolutionsynteny |
| spellingShingle | Petr Fajkus Vratislav Peška Jiří Fajkus Eva Sýkorová Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants International Journal of Molecular Sciences polyploidy <i>Nicotiana</i> telomerase gene evolution synteny |
| title | Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants |
| title_full | Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants |
| title_fullStr | Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants |
| title_short | Origin and Fates of <i>TERT</i> Gene Copies in Polyploid Plants |
| title_sort | origin and fates of i tert i gene copies in polyploid plants |
| topic | polyploidy <i>Nicotiana</i> telomerase gene evolution synteny |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/1783 |
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