Thus we can now present a complete list of complex repetitive elements in D. discoideum. Based on the nucleotide amount we calculated the least copy number in each family. These vary between less than 10 up to over 200 copies. Unique sequences adjacent to the element ends and truncation points in elements gave a measure for the fragmentation of the elements. Furthermore, we describe the diversity of single elements with regard to polymorphisms and conserved structures.
All elements show insertion preference into loci in which other elements of the same family reside.
The analysis of the complex repeats is a valuable data resource for the ongoing assembly of whole D. discoideum chromosomes. 1, 289-299 Abstract Environmental pressures can direct genomes from a normal to a more or less pronounced imbalance in the base composition. These pressures seem to occur relatively often since genomes with a deviation from a normal base composition are widespread throughout lower eukaryotes. These genomes show altered codon usage and enrichment for the preferred bases in intron and intergenic regions. Techniques designed for large scale sequencing and assembly of genomes with normal base composition will fail with these unusual genomes.