1
|
Menezes RST, Bardella VB, Cabral-de-Mello DC, Lucena DAA, Almeida EAB. Are the TTAGG and TTAGGG telomeric repeats phylogenetically conserved in aculeate Hymenoptera? Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:85. [PMID: 28956077 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1507-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite the (TTAGG)n telomeric repeat supposed being the ancestral DNA motif of telomeres in insects, it was repeatedly lost within some insect orders. Notably, parasitoid hymenopterans and the social wasp Metapolybia decorata (Gribodo) lack the (TTAGG)n sequence, but in other representatives of Hymenoptera, this motif was noticed, such as different ant species and the honeybee. These findings raise the question of whether the insect telomeric repeat is or not phylogenetically predominant in Hymenoptera. Thus, we evaluated the occurrence of both the (TTAGG)n sequence and the vertebrate telomere sequence (TTAGGG)n using dot-blotting hybridization in 25 aculeate species of Hymenoptera. Our results revealed the absence of (TTAGG)n sequence in all tested species, elevating the number of hymenopteran families lacking this telomeric sequence to 13 out of the 15 tested families so far. The (TTAGGG)n was not observed in any tested species. Based on our data and compiled information, we suggest that the (TTAGG)n sequence was putatively lost in the ancestor of Apocrita with at least two subsequent independent regains (in Formicidae and Apidae).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodolpho S T Menezes
- Laboratório de Biologia Comparada e Abelhas, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil.
| | - Vanessa B Bardella
- Instituto de Biociências/IB, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Diogo C Cabral-de-Mello
- Instituto de Biociências/IB, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Daercio A A Lucena
- Laboratório de Biologia Comparada e Abelhas, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A B Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Comparada e Abelhas, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mason JM, Randall TA, Capkova Frydrychova R. Telomerase lost? Chromosoma 2016; 125:65-73. [PMID: 26162505 PMCID: PMC6512322 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-015-0528-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase and telomerase-generated telomeric DNA sequences are widespread throughout eukaryotes, yet they are not universal. Neither telomerase nor the simple DNA repeats associated with telomerase have been found in some plant and animal species. Telomerase was likely lost from Diptera before the divergence of Diptera and Siphonaptera, some 260 million years ago. Even so, Diptera is one of the most successful animal orders, making up 11% of known animal species. In addition, many species of Coleoptera and Hemiptera seem to lack canonical telomeric repeats at their chromosome ends. These and other insects that appear to lack canonical terminal repeat sequences account for another 10-15% of animal species. Conversely, the silk moth Bombyx mori maintains canonical telomeric sequences at its chromosome ends but seems to lack a functional telomerase. We speculate that a telomere-specific capping complex that recognizes the telomeric repeats and protects chromosome ends is the determining factor in maintaining canonical telomeric sequences and that telomerase is an early and efficacious mechanism for satisfying the needs of capping complex. There are alternate mechanisms for maintaining chromosome ends that do not depend on telomerase, such as recombination found in some human cancer cells and yeast mutants. These mechanisms may maintain the canonical telomeric repeats or allow the terminal sequence to evolve when specificity of the capping complex for terminal repeat sequences is weak.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James M Mason
- Laboratory of Genome Integrity and Structural Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Thomas A Randall
- Integrative Bioinformatics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
|
4
|
Laster BH, Isaacson C, Perets E, Msamra M, Priel E, Kalef-Ezra J, Kost J. Keeping those telomeres short! an innovative intratumoral long-term drug delivery system. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2014; 141:23-34. [DOI: 10.1007/s00432-014-1747-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|