Complete sequences of the rRNA genes of Drosophila melanogaster |
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Authors: | Tautz D; Hancock JM; Webb DA; Tautz C; Dover GA |
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Institution: | Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. |
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Abstract: | In this, the first of three papers, we present the sequence of the
ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes of Drosophila melanogaster. The gene regions of
D. melanogaster rDNA encode four individual rRNAs: 18S (1,995 nt), 5.8S
(123 nt), 2S (30 nt), and 28S (3,945 nt). The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeat
of D. melanogaster is AT rich (65.9% overall), with the spacers being
particularly AT rich. Analysis of DNA simplicity reveals that, in contrast
to the intergenic spacer (IGS) and the external transcribed spacer (ETS),
most of the rRNA gene regions have been refractory to the action of
slippage-like events, with the exception of the 28S rRNA gene expansion
segments. It would seem that the 28S rRNA can accommodate the products of
slippage-like events without loss of activity. In the following two papers
we analyze the effects of sequence divergence on the evolution of (1) the
28S gene "expansion segments" and (2) the 28S and 18S rRNA secondary
structures among eukaryotic species, respectively. Our detailed analyses
reveal, in addition to unequal crossing-over, (1) the involvement of
slippage and biased mutation in the evolution of the rDNA multigene family
and (2) the molecular coevolution of both expansion segments and the
nucleotides involved with compensatory changes required to maintain
secondary structures of RNA.
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