Zea mays subsp. mays Epigenomics

In 23 inbreds of domesticated maize (n=10), partial or nearly complete loss of the tandem DNA repeat CentC is associated with 57 independent cenH3 relocation (neocentromere formation) events affecting 60% of all centromeres examined. Chromosomal regions that have acquired cenH3 either by expansion of the cenH3 domain or its relocation by up to four Mb from the original centromere location, are colonized by the centromere-specific retrotransposon CR2 at a rate that would result in centromere-sized (1.8 Mb) CR2 clusters in 20,000-90,000 years.