Ribosomal DNA copy number is associated with body mass in humans and other mammals.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38866738.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-49397-5 and PMC identifier 11169392.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Body mass results from a complex interplay between genetics and environment. Previous studies of the genetic contribution to body mass have excluded repetitive regions due to the technical limitations of platforms used for population scale studies. Here we apply genome-wide approaches, identifying an association between adult body mass and the copy number (CN) of 47S-ribosomal DNA (rDNA). rDNA codes for the 18 S, 5.8 S and 28 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) components of the ribosome. In mammals, there are hundreds of copies of these genes. Inter-individual variation in the rDNA CN has not previously been associated with a mammalian phenotype. Here, we show that rDNA CN variation associates with post-pubertal growth rate in rats and body mass index in adult humans. rDNA CN is not associated with rRNA transcription rates in adult tissues, suggesting the mechanistic link occurs earlier in development. This aligns with the observation that the association emerges by early adulthood.
Medical subject headings
- DNA Copy Number Variations
- DNA, Ribosomal
- Body Mass Index