Paper · 2026 · Genome biology

Genetic diversity and architectural dynamics of soybean centromeres

Yicheng Huang; Enlai Guan; Shipeng Song; et al.

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13
verbatim quotes
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citations
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Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Centromere function is fundamental and conserved across eukaryotes, despite highly divergent DNA sequences, even among closely related species. These regions often contain rapidly evolving repeats and retrotransposons, yet play a crucial role in chromosome segregation. Soybean, which harbors two distinct types of centromeric satellite repeats, is an ideal model for studying centromeric repeat organization and function. RESULTS: Here we generate the complete map of centromeric satellite repeats revealing the organizational patterns of different types of centromeric satellite repeats within centromeres. These maps are constructed using three recently available telomere-to-telomere soybean genomes. We find that certain centromeric satellite repeats exhibit chromosome-specific evolutionary trajectories and may serve distinct functional roles in centromere activity. We further analyze the potential relationship between centromere-specific histones H3 (CENH3) and centromeric satellite repeats, identifying consensus motifs associated with CENH3-binding sites. We also analyze the higher-order tandem repeats of the centromere and propose a hypothetical model of centromeric DNA replication. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 evolve independently. The observation that completely identical CentGm-4 sequences consistently appear on the same chromosome across different soybean varieties indicates a stronger chromosome-specific preference for CentGm-4. We propose a model in which replication templates within the centromere region originate from multiple CENH3-nucleosome complexes bound to CentGm sequences. Both CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 contain similar motifs with the potential to bind CENH3 protein. The findings provide a new insight into the mechanisms behind centromere diversity and dynamics.

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Claims 7

Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

A complete map of centromeric satellite repeats was generated from three telomere-to-telomere soybean genomes.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxe1
Outcome
complete map of centromeric satellite repeatse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“we generate the complete map of centromeric satellite repeats”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 449–510 · show in text ↑
e1

“three recently available telomere-to-telomere soybean genomes”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 654–715 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Certain centromeric satellite repeats show chromosome-specific evolutionary trajectories.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Outcome
chromosome-specific evolutionary trajectoriese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“soybean centromeres”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 48–67 · show in text ↑
e0

“certain centromeric satellite repeats exhibit chromosome-specific evolutionary trajectories”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 730–821 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Consensus motifs associated with CENH3-binding sites were identified in centromeric satellite repeats.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
CENH3e0
Outcome
consensus motifse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“soybean centromeres”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 48–67 · show in text ↑
e0

“identifying consensus motifs associated with CENH3-binding sites”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1015–1079 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 evolve independently.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Outcome
evolve independentlye0
Qualifier
CentGm-1 and CentGm-4e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“soybean centromeres”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 48–67 · show in text ↑
e0

“CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 evolve independently”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1242–1284 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Completely identical CentGm-4 sequences consistently appear on the same chromosome across different soybean varieties, indicating chromosome-specific preference.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxe0
Material
different soybean varietiese0
Outcome
appear on the same chromosomee0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“completely identical CentGm-4 sequences consistently appear on the same chromosome across different soybean varieties”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1307–1424 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Both CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 contain similar motifs with potential to bind CENH3 protein.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
CENH3 proteine0
Outcome
similar motifse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“soybean centromeres”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 48–67 · show in text ↑
e0

“Both CentGm-1 and CentGm-4 contain similar motifs with the potential to bind CENH3 protein”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1648–1738 · show in text ↑
Mechanismhypothesisoriginal resultbasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The authors propose that replication templates in the centromere originate from multiple CENH3-nucleosome complexes bound to CentGm sequences.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
CENH3e0
Outcome
replication templatese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“soybean centromeres”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 48–67 · show in text ↑
e0

“We propose a model in which replication templates within the centromere region originate from multiple CENH3-nucleosome complexes bound to CentGm sequences”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1491–1646 · show in text ↑