The repetitive fraction of the genome: from “junk” to an important structural and functional component

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Background

Repetitive DNA sequences, encompassing a significant portion of many genomes, have evolved from being considered mere "junk DNA" to critical elements essential for understanding genome architecture and evolution. These sequences, categorized into tandem repeats and transposable elements, play pivotal roles in shaping genome functions and influencing evolutionary trajectories. Despite their prevalence, accurately pinpointing the location and arrangements of these elements continues to be a formidable challenge, especially in fully sequenced chromosomes where they often appear as unresolved gaps. This enigma invites further inquiry into why repetitive DNAs are so abundant and how they remain essential to genomic functionality and evolutionary processes.

The study of repetitive DNAs has undergone a transformative shift with the advent of specialized software and databases aimed at advancing detection and characterization within genomic contexts. Modern technologies allow for a more nuanced analysis of these sequences across different species, enhancing our understanding of their structural, functional, and evolutionary dynamics. Such advancements, enabled by a combination of experimental and bioinformatical approaches, have been instrumental in illustrating the complex interactions and contributions of repetitive DNAs to genome landscapes, offering insights into their evolutionary relationships.

To gather further insights into the complexity and significance of repetitive DNA within genomes, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Organization and categorization of repetitive DNA sequences
- Functional roles and implications of repetitive DNAs
- Transcriptional dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of repetitive sequences
- Evolutionary analysis and comparative studies of repetitive DNAs
- Integrative approaches for enhancing the detectability and characterization of repetitive elements

This Research Topic welcomes original research and review articles focusing on any aspect of the genome's repetitive fraction.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Editorial
  • FAIR² Data
  • FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

  • Brief Research Report
  • Editorial
  • FAIR² Data
  • FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research
  • Perspective
  • Review
  • Technology and Code

Keywords: Tandem repeats, genome architecture, transposable elements, satellite DNAs, heterochromatin

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via the main journal or any other participating journal.

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