Telomere variability in the monocotyledonous plant order Asparagales

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Abstract
A group of monocotyledonous plants within the order Asparagales, forming a distinct clade in phylogenetic analyses, was reported previously to lack the typical Arabidopsistype telomere (TTTAGGG)n. This stimulated us to determine what has replaced these sequences. Using slotblot and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to species within this clade, our results indicate the following. 1. The typical Arabidopsistype telomeric sequence has been partly or fully replaced by the humantype telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n. Species in Allium lack the humantype variant. 2. In most cases the human variant occurs along with a lower abundance of two or more variants of the minisatellite sequences (of seven types evaluated), usually these being the consensus telomeric sequence of Arabidopsis, Bombyx (TTAGG)n and Tetrahymena (TTGGGGn. FISH shows that the variants can occur mixed together at the telomere. 3. Telomerases generate products with a 6 base pair periodicity and when sequenced they reveal predominantly a reiter...