Megasatellites: a new class of large tandem repeats discovered in the pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata

Abstract : Megasatellites are DNA tandem arrays made of large motifs, that were discovered in the yeast Candida glabrata. They are widespread in this species (40 copies) but are not found in any other hemiascomycete so far, raising the intriguing question of their very origin. They are found mainly in genes encoding cell wall products, suggesting that megasatellites were selected for a function linked to cell-cell adhesion or to pathogenicity. Their putative role in promoting genome rearrangements by interfering with DNA replication will also be discussed.