help button home button Genetics J Clin Inv
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Genetics, Vol. 175, 477-485, February 2007, Copyright © 2007
doi:10.1534/genetics.107.071399

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Eickbush, T. H.
Right arrow Articles by Eickbush, D. G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Eickbush, T. H.
Right arrow Articles by Eickbush, D. G.

Finely Orchestrated Movements: Evolution of the Ribosomal RNA Genes

Thomas H. Eickbush1 and Danna G. Eickbush

Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

1 Corresponding author: Department of Biology, Hutchinson Hall, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0211.
E-mail: eick{at}mail.rochester.edu

Evolution of the tandemly repeated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes is intriguing because in each species all units within the array are highly uniform in sequence but that sequence differs between species. In this review we summarize the origins of the current models to explain this process of concerted evolution, emphasizing early studies of recombination in yeast and more recent studies in Drosophila and mammalian systems. These studies suggest that unequal crossover is the major driving force in the evolution of the rRNA genes with sister chromatid exchange occurring more often than exchange between homologs. Gene conversion is also believed to play a role; however, direct evidence for its involvement has not been obtained. Remarkably, concerted evolution is so well orchestrated that even transposable elements that insert into a large fraction of the rRNA genes appear to have little effect on the process. Finally, we summarize data that suggest that recombination in the rDNA locus of higher eukaryotes is sufficiently frequent to monitor changes within a few generations.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
A. Kovarik, M. Dadejova, Y. K. Lim, M. W. Chase, J. J. Clarkson, S. Knapp, and A. R. Leitch
Evolution of rDNA in Nicotiana Allopolyploids: A Potential Link between rDNA Homogenization and Epigenetics
Ann. Bot., April 1, 2008; 101(6): 815 - 823.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
Y. Moran, H. Weinberger, J. C. Sullivan, A. M. Reitzel, J. R. Finnerty, and M. Gurevitz
Concerted Evolution of Sea Anemone Neurotoxin Genes Is Revealed through Analysis of the Nematostella vectensis Genome
Mol. Biol. Evol., April 1, 2008; 25(4): 737 - 747.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol Biol EvolHome page
B. Tawari, I. K. M. Ali, C. Scott, M. A. Quail, M. Berriman, N. Hall, and C. G. Clark
Patterns of Evolution in the Unique tRNA Gene Arrays of the Genus Entamoeba
Mol. Biol. Evol., January 1, 2008; 25(1): 187 - 198.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Genome Res.Home page
D. E. Stage and T. H. Eickbush
Sequence variation within the rRNA gene loci of 12 Drosophila species
Genome Res., December 1, 2007; 17(12): 1888 - 1897.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the Genetics Society of America.