The mutational dynamics of the Arabidopsis centromeres

TL;DR - A Nature study finds that Arabidopsis centromeres evolve through frequent repeat-unit insertions and deletions, alongside elevated point mutations driven by homology-directed repair. This mutation spectrum may explain how large, homogenized tandem-repeat blocks arise and persist.

• Examines mutational dynamics in the centromeres of Arabidopsis thaliana.
• Identifies frequent insertions and deletions involving repeat units.
• Links increased point-mutation rates to homology-directed repair.
• Shows that these processes are sufficient to generate and maintain homogenized centromeric repeat arrays.