Body Maps on the Human Genome
Body Maps on the Human Genome
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Date
2010-12-01
Authors
Cherniak, Christopher
Rodriguez-Esteban, Raul
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Abstract
The human genome possesses large-scale structure: In particular, body
tissue genes map somatotopically onto the complete chromosome set. The
synoptic picture is that genes highly expressed in particular tissues
are not randomly distributed on the genome. Rather, they form a "genome
homunculus": a multi-dimensional, genome-wide body representation
extending across chromosome territories (each chromosome's preferred
nucleus locale) of the entire spermcell nucleus. The antero-posterior
axis of the body corresponds to the head-tail axis of the nucleus, and
the dorso-ventral body axis to the central-peripheral nucleus axis.
Somatotopic maps in cerebral cortex have been reported for over a
century. This pervasive genome mapping merits further attention.