Charlesworth B, Sniegowski P, Stephan W
Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
Nature. 1994 Sep 15;371(6494):215-20. doi: 10.1038/371215a0.
Repetitive DNA sequences form a large portion of the genomes of eukaryotes. The 'selfish DNA' hypothesis proposes that they are maintained by their ability to replicate within the genome. The behaviour of repetitive sequences can result in mutations that cause genetic diseases, and confer significant fitness losses on the organism. Features of the organization of repetitive sequences in eukaryotic genomes, and their distribution in natural populations, reflect the evolutionary forces acting on selfish DNA.
重复DNA序列构成了真核生物基因组的很大一部分。“自私DNA”假说提出，它们是通过在基因组内复制的能力得以维持的。重复序列的行为可导致引发遗传疾病的突变，并给生物体带来显著的适应性损失。真核生物基因组中重复序列的组织特征及其在自然种群中的分布，反映了作用于自私DNA的进化力量。
