Chromatin diminution in nematodes.

Müller F; Bernard V; Tobler H

doi:10.1002/bies.950180209

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Journal article

Chromatin diminution in nematodes.

Müller F Institute of Zoology, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Bernard V
Tobler H

1996-02-01

Published in:

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. - 1996

Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

English The process of chromatin diminution in Parascaris and Ascaris is a developmentally controlled genome rearrangement, which results in quantitative and qualitative differences in DNA content between germ line and somatic cells. Chromatin diminution involves chromosomal breakage, new telomere formation and DNA degradation. The programmed elimination of chromatin in presomatic cells might serve as an alternative way of gene regulation. We put forward a new hypothesis of how an ancient partial genome duplication and chromatin diminution may have served to maintain the genetic balance in somatic cells and simultaneously endowed the germ line cells with a selective advantage.

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