Genome sizes and corresponding composition of six major model organisms as pie charts. The increase in genome size correlates with the vast expansion of noncoding (i.e., intronic, intergenic, and interspersed repeat sequences) and repeat DNA (e.g., satellite, LINEs, short interspersed nuclear element (SINEs), DNA (Alu sequence), in red) sequences in more complex multicellular organisms. This expansion is accompanied by an increase in the number of epigenetic mechanisms (particularly repressive) that regulate the genome. Expansion of the genome also correlates with an increase in size and complexity of transcription units, except for plants. P = Promoter DNA element.
The hereditary material i.e. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of an organism is composed of a sequence of four nucleotides in a specific pattern, which encodes information as a function of their order. Genomic organization refers to the linear order of DNA elements and their division into chromosomes. "Genome organization" can also refer to the 3D structure of chromosomes and the positioning of DNA sequences within the nucleus.
