Figure 6.

Cumulative probability distributions of repeat element sequence divergence/age. Reference (dashed line) summarizes sequence divergences of elements present at equal frequencies in germline and somatic genomes (i.e. not disproportionately deleted from, or retained in, the somatic genome during chromatin diminution). Red line shows the distribution of elements present at significantly higher frequencies in the germline than soma; these elements are disproportionately deleted during chromatin diminution. They are significantly younger (less divergent) than the reference elements. Green line shows the distribution of elements present at significantly higher frequencies in the soma than in the germline; these elements are disproportionately retained in the somatic genome during chromatin diminution. They are significantly older (more divergent) than the reference elements. Thus, chromatin diminution disproportionately targets younger repeat elements.