RT Journal
A1 Volarić, Marin
A1 Despot-Slade, Evelin
A1 Veseljak, Damira
A1 Mravinac, Brankica
A1 Meštrović, Nevenka
T1 Long-read genome assembly of the insect model organism Tribolium castaneum reveals spread of satellite DNA in gene-rich regions by recurrent burst events
JF Genome Research 
JO Genome Research 
YR 2024 
FD November 01 
VO 34 
IS 11 
SP 1878 
OP 1894 
DO 10.1101/gr.279225.124 
UL http://genome.cshlp.org/content/34/11/1878.abstract 
AB Eukaryotic genomes are replete with satellite DNAs (satDNAs), large stretches of tandemly repeated sequences that are mostly underrepresented in genome assemblies. Here we combined nanopore long-read sequencing with a reference-guided assembly approach to generate an improved, high-quality genome assembly, TcasONT, of the model beetle Tribolium castaneum. Enriched by 45 Mb in repetitive regions, the new assembly comprises almost the entire genome sequence. We use the enhanced assembly to conduct global and in-depth analyses of abundant euchromatic satDNAs. Unexpectedly, we show the extensive spread of satDNAs in gene-rich regions, including long arrays. The sequence similarity relationships between satDNA monomers and arrays indicate a recent exchange of satDNA arrays between different chromosomes. We propose a scenario of their genome dynamics characterized by repeated bursts of satDNAs spreading through euchromatin, followed by a process of elongation and homogenization of arrays. We find that suppressed recombination on the X Chromosome has no significant effect on the spread of satDNAs but the X rather tolerates the amplification of satDNAs into longer arrays. Analyses of arrays’ neighboring regions show a tendency of one satDNA to be associated with transposable-like elements. Using 2D electrophoresis followed by Southern blotting, we prove Cast satDNAs’ presence in the fraction of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). We point to two mechanisms that enable this satDNA spread to occur: transposition by transposable elements and insertion mediated by eccDNA. The presence of such a large proportion of satDNA in gene-rich regions inevitably gives rise to speculation about their possible influence on gene expression.