Sequencing and analysis of chromosome 1 of Eimeria tenella reveals a unique segmental organization

The sequencing and analysis of the first chromosome of Eimeria tenella, a chromosome believed to carry loci associated with drug resistance and known to differ between virulent and attenuated strains of the parasite infecting the intestinal tracts of domestic fowls is reported. The chromosome is found to show most striking segmentation of repeat-rich regions peppered with transposon-like elements and telomere-like repeats, alternating with repeat-free regions.