| Title |
Alpha satellite DNA biology: finding function in the recesses of the genome
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Chromosome Research, July 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10577-018-9582-3 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Shannon M. McNulty, Beth A. Sullivan |
| Abstract |
Repetitive DNA, formerly referred to by the misnomer "junk DNA," comprises a majority of the human genome. One class of this DNA, alpha satellite, comprises up to 10% of the genome. Alpha satellite is enriched at all human centromere regions and is competent for de novo centromere assembly. Because of the highly repetitive nature of alpha satellite, it has been difficult to achieve genome assemblies at centromeres using traditional next-generation sequencing approaches, and thus, centromeres represent gaps in the current human genome assembly. Moreover, alpha satellite DNA is transcribed into repetitive noncoding RNA and contributes to a large portion of the transcriptome. Recent efforts to characterize these transcripts and their function have uncovered pivotal roles for satellite RNA in genome stability, including silencing "selfish" DNA elements and recruiting centromere and kinetochore proteins. This review will describe the genomic and epigenetic features of alpha satellite DNA, discuss recent findings of noncoding transcripts produced from distinct alpha satellite arrays, and address current progress in the functional understanding of this oft-neglected repetitive sequence. We will discuss unique challenges of studying human satellite DNAs and RNAs and point toward new technologies that will continue to advance our understanding of this largely untapped portion of the genome. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 24 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 8 | 33% |
| United Kingdom | 2 | 8% |
| Mexico | 1 | 4% |
| Canada | 1 | 4% |
| France | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown | 11 | 46% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 13 | 54% |
| Scientists | 11 | 46% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 121 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 121 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 28 | 23% |
| Researcher | 19 | 16% |
| Student > Bachelor | 14 | 12% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 5 | 4% |
| Professor | 5 | 4% |
| Other | 17 | 14% |
| Unknown | 33 | 27% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 50 | 41% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 20 | 17% |
| Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 3 | 2% |
| Computer Science | 2 | 2% |
| Business, Management and Accounting | 2 | 2% |
| Other | 10 | 8% |
| Unknown | 34 | 28% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 14. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 14 July 2018.
All research outputs
#2,604,443
of 25,750,437 outputs
Outputs from Chromosome Research
#31
of 538 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#50,946
of 341,934 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Chromosome Research
#2
of 5 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,750,437 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 89th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 538 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.1. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 5 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has scored higher than 3 of them.