Conservation, divergence and functions of centromeric satellite DNA families in the Bovidae.

Repetitive satellite DNA (satDNA) sequences are abundant in eukaryote genomes, with a structural and functional role in centromeric function. We analysed the nucleotide sequence and chromosomal location of the five known cattle (Bos taurus) satDNA families in seven species from the tribe Tragelaphini (Bovinae subfamily). One of the families (SAT1.723) was present at the chromosomes' centromeres of the Tragelaphini species, as well in two more distantly related bovid species, Ovis aries and Capra hircus. Analysis of the interaction of SAT1.723 with centromeric proteins revealed that this satDNA sequence is involved in the centromeric activity in all the species analysed and that it is preserved for at least 15-20 My across Bovidae species. The satDNA sequence similarity among the analysed species reflected different stages of homogeneity/heterogeneity, revealing the evolutionary history of each satDNA family. The SAT1.723 monomer-flanking regions showed the presence of transposable elements, explaining the extensive shuffling of this satDNA between different genomic regions.