Characterization of repetitive DNA in complex genomes of the selected plant species

 Repetitive DNA makes up significant portions of higher plant nuclear genomes. Therefore, investigation of sequence composition, genome organization and evolution of the repetitive DNA is crucial for our understanding of fundamental processes driving plant genome evolution and function, as well as for potential genetic manipulation in crop species. Taking advantage of the next-generation sequencing technologies, we performed detailed characterization of repetitive DNA in three complex plant genomes using a set of novel bioinformatics tools that have been previously developed in our laboratory. The data obtained for the model dioecious plant Silene latifolia, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and potato (Solanum tuberosum) genomes provided new insights into the role of repetitive DNA in various evolutionary processes, including differentiation of plant sex chromosomes or polyploidization.