Genome size (one of the smallest eukaryotic nuclear genomes)

Value 2.9 Mbp
Organism Microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi
Reference Peyretaillade E, Biderre C, Peyret P, Duffieux F, Méténier G, Gouy M, Michot B, Vivarès CP. Microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a unicellular eukaryote with an unusual chromosomal dispersion of ribosomal genes and a LSU rRNA reduced to the universal core. Nucleic Acids Res. 1998 Aug 1 26(15):3513-20.PubMed ID9671812
Primary Source Biderre C, Pagès M, Méténier G, Canning EU, Vivarès CP. Evidence for the smallest nuclear genome (2.9 Mb) in the microsporidium Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1995 Nov74(2):229-31 AND Biderre C, Duffieux F, Peyretaillade E, Glaser P, Peyret P, Danchin A, Pagès M, Méténier G, Vivarès CP. Mapping of repetitive and non-repetitive DNA probes to chromosomes of the microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Gene. 1997 May 20 191(1):39-45.PubMed ID8719165, 9210586
Comments In previous studies, researchers showed that Encephalitozoon cuniculi, known to infect various mammals, including man, possesses a very small nuclear genome (haploid genome size 2.9 Mbp) divided into 11 chromosomes partially characterized through hybridization experiments with specific DNA probes. The chromosomes range in size between 217 and 315 kb (primary source (2)). For smallest genome of a free-living photosynthetic eukaryote see BNID 101523
Entered by Uri M
ID 105426