Conservation of repeated DNA base sequences in theCrustacea: A molecular approach to decapod phylogeny

Summary Analysis of data obtained from molecular hybridization of³H-labeled repetitious DNA has been utilized to reconstruct the broad outlines of phylogenetic relationships among decapod Crustacea. This molecular reconstruction agrees reasonably well with the paleontological record, and with other schemes obtained by comparative morphological and serological approaches. Preliminary evidence is in line with the hypothesis that continuous addition of new repeated sequence families to the genome over long periods of time may in part account for the correlation observed between percent repetitious DNA hybridized and divergence time. It is tentatively concluded that a core of DNA base sequence homology has been highly conserved throughout the evolution of theCrustacea. Demonstration of inter-species sequence homology has important implications to models which relegate a genetic regulatory function to repeated DNAs.     

The heterogeneity of B-chromosome DNA: no evidence for a B-chromosome specific repetitive DNA correlated with B-chromosome effects on meiotic pairing in the triticinae

The compositional heterogeneity of DNAs of A (normal) and B (supernumerary) chromosomes of Aegilops speltoides, Ae. mutica and Triticum aestivum has been compared in order to elucidate the mechanism of B-chromosome disruption of meiotic pairing in interspecific hybrids. Comparisons of % heterologous association after DNA/DNA hybridation at C₀t 10^?2 (highly repetitious DNA) and C₀t 100 (moderately repetitious DNA), and comparisons of nucleotide base divergence (ΔT_ms) and thermal elution profiles of homologous and heterologous duplexes, show that genotypes of Aegilops spp., having large numbers of Bs, do not carry additional families of repetitious DNA exclusive to B-chromosomes. Neither the presence of Bs nor the direction of DNA/DNA hybridisation affect the above parameters. No cryptic DNA satellites were revealed in A- and B-chromosome DNA after sedimentation in actinomycin D-CsCl gradients; and there were no significant differences in buoyant densities of main-band DNA. Mean melting temperatures (T_m); transition temperatures (ΔT) and numbers and positions of peaks of dissociating DNA fractions in profiles of differentiated melting curves of native DNAs were similar in strictly comparable denaturation conditions. One small AT-rich (< 5%) DNA fraction correlated with speltoides Bs was revealed; however, no corresponding fraction is associated with mutica Bs. The overall similarity in numbers and base composition of families of DNA (repetitious and unique) of As and Bs is discussed in relation to the origin of Bs and the origin of the meiotic diploidising system in haploid T. aestivum.     

Chromosomal localizations by in situ hybridization of the repetitious human DNA families and evidence of their satellite DNA equivalents

Four of the five major repetitious human DNA families, have been mapped by the in situ hybridization technique at their T_OPT values. Two of the lighter density DNA families have autoradiographic grain patterns over heterochromatic chromosomal regions that resemble those of known satellite DNAs. The two heaviest density DNA families have autoradiographic grain patterns of middle repetitious DNAs, with all chromosomes showing labelling. Some evidence suggests that one of these DNA families is concentrated in certain chromosomal regions. Both DNA families exhibit biphasic T_OPT curves. The presence of two thermal stability classes of hybrids suggests sequence interspersion. By co-enrichment studies in Ag⁺-Cs₂SO₄ gradients, evidence suggests the origin of the three lightest density renaturated human DNA families to be satellites I, II and III.     

A family of repeated DNA sequences, one of which resides in the second intervening sequence of the mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene

One member of a repeated sequence family has been found in the second intron of the mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene. The family consists of approximately 20 members/haploid genome, two of which have been sequenced and found to contain a 480-base pair region of homology with a significant amount of sequence divergence. Rat, Chinese hamster, Syrian hamster, and human DNAs contain homologous repetitious elements, and the four rodent species have a member of this family associated with the dihydrofolate reductase gene.     

Characterisation of DNA from condensed and dispersed human chromatin

Condensed and dispersed chromatin fractions were isolated from human placental nuclei. The DNA of each fraction was purified and characterised by isopycnic centrifugation, thermal fractionation on hydroxylapatite (HAP) and sequence complexity studies. The DNAs had identical buoyant densities in neutral CsCl (1.698 g/cm³) and similar melting profiles on HAP. Analytical ultracentrifugation in Ag⁺-Cs₂SO₄, however, showed that satellite DNAs were present in the condensed fraction DNA (DNA_C) but were not visible in the dispersed fraction DNA (DNA_D). In addition, DNA_C was found to be enriched in highly reiterated sequences (20% reassociated by C₀t 10^?3) which can be correlated with the presence of satellite DNAs, whereas DNA_D contained only 3% of these fast reassociating sequences. In contrast DNA_D contained 30% intermediate sequences (reassociating between C₀t 10^?3 and C₀t 100) which represent only 10% of DNA_C. The reassociated highly repeated sequences of DNA_C showed the presence of two components in both CsCl density gradients and HAP thermal elution studies. This suggests that either there are sequence relationships resulting in partial mismatching between the different highly repeated DNA sequences in this fraction, or that highly repeated sequences are associated with less repetitious DNA. The results are discussed in terms of possible differences in genetic activity between the chromatin fractions.     

Tandemly Repeated Sequence Families in Micronuclear DNA of the Ciliate Stylonychia pustulata1

One third of a collection of cloned Stylonychia pustulata micronuclear DNA PstI fragments were found to be of a similar size, consistent with their being members of a repetitious sequence family with a repeat size of about 160 base pairs. Cross-hybridization experiments confirmed that these small cloned fragments are related by sequence homology. Hybridization of the cloned repetitious sequences to PstI digested micronuclear DNA revealed a “ladder” of bands (step size = 160 base pairs), indicating that the repeats are found in tandem arrays. This is the first demonstration of highly repetitious, tandemly repeated sequences in a ciliated protozoan.     

Conservation and progressive methylation of Epstein-Barr viral DNA sequences in transformed cells.

The structure of intracellular viral DNA from a number of cell lines arising by clonal transformation of human lymphocytes in vitro with Epstein-Barr virus was analyzed. Intracellular viral DNAs were partially purified and digested with several restriction endonucleases, and the products of digestion were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gels. The viral fragments were detected by transferring the DNA from the gel to nitrocellulose sheets, hybridizing radiolabeled recombinant vectors carrying fragments of viral DNA to those transfers, and visualizing the hybrids by autoradiography. These analyses indicated that: (i) regions of repetitious viral DNA do undergo expansion and contraction although one size predominates; (ii) novel sequence arrangements appear in the intracellular viral DNA of different clones but are not found in clones analyzed serially and propagated extensively; (iii) the viral DNA is increasingly methylated upon cell propagation. We have not identified a transformed cell phenotype or a viral phenotype that segregates with the observed progressive methylation. We have not detected in Epstein-Barr viral plasmids analogs of the gross rearrangements of viral DNAs observed after lytic infections with high multiplicities of papova-, adeno-, or herpes simplex viruses.     

Repeated sequences in the DNA of Drosophila and their localization in giant chromosomes

It is shown by isopycnic density gradient centrifugation that the DNAs of the sibling species Drosophila hydei, Drosophila neohydei and Drosophila pseudoneohydei differ regarding the numbers and proportions of satellite DNA bands. An overwhelming proportion of all repetitive nucleotide sequences of the DNA is contained in these satellite fractions. The majority of the satellites are species specific despite the close phylogenetic and cytological relationship between the three species studied. — By in situ hybridization experiments it is demonstrated that the various satellite sequences occupy different positions within the chromosomes. All types of localization patterns, from a wide spread occurrence in all chromosomes to an apparent restriction to kinetochore regions of single chromosomes, have been observed. Main band DNA, on the other hand, in its hybridization behavior reflects the DNA distribution according to the banding pattern in giant chromosomes. Generally satellite sequences seem to be included in -heterochromatic chromosome regions but no relation to the heterochromatin of the Y-chromosome was found. — Renaturation studies support various evidence that satellite sequences occur in tandemly repetitious units. At least some of this repetitious material seems to be linked to non-satellite DNA sequences or to DNA of other satellites.     

Homologies of repetitive DNA sequences among Crustacea

The interrelationships of a number of Crustacea were measured by nucleic acid hybridization techniques, with special emphas is on the question of whether GC-rich satellite DNA contains nucleotide sequences homologous to sequences found in other Crustacea with and without similar satellite DNAs. Repetitious sequences from both main-band DNA and GC-rich satellite DNA from the land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, were hybridized to the total DNAs of crustaceans ranging from the brine shrimp (Subclass: Branchiopoda) to the North American lobster (Homarus americanus, Subclass: Malacostraca; Suborder: Repantia; Section: Macrura) and the true crabs (Subclass: Malacostraca; Suborder: Reptantia; Section: Brachyura). Approximately half of the Gecarcinus repetitious main-band DNA sequences were found to be represented in the DNA of the other true crabs, while a lesser but still significant amount of homology (5 to 10%) to the GC-rich satellite DNA was observed. We also observed a significant amount of homology of the Gecarcinus GC-rich satellite to other crustacean DNAs, even at the level of a different taxonomic Section. This is the first observation of hybrid formation between a purified satellite and DNAs from other organisms under stringent hybridization conditions.Research sponsored by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission under contact with the Union Carbide Corporation.Research performed while an Oak Ridge Graduate Fellow under appointment from the Oak Ridge Associated Universities in partial fulfillment of the Ph. D. degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.     

Cyclization of three satellite components of calf thymus DNA.

Cyclization of denatured and reannealed satellite components of calf thymus DNA was studied by electron microscopy. All three satellite DNA components studied (1.707g/cm-3, 1.714g/cm-3 and 1.721g/cm-3) form circular structures indicating that the sequences of the calf thymus satellite DNAs are arranged in a tandemly repetitious manner. Under appropriate annealing conditions the amount of circular structures is reproducible and practically no aggregates are formed. By comparison of cyclization experiments under defined conditions it is demonstrated that individual satellite components differ in the amount of circular structures formed during reassociation and in the distribution of linear and circular molecules. From the distribution of the contour lengths of circular molecules we conclude that the length of the repetitive sequence decreases with increasing buoyant density of the satellite components. The average lengths of the repetitive sequences calculated from electron microscopy measurements are in good agreement with those from renaturation kinetics.     

Effect of DNA preparation from laver (Porphyra yezoensis) thalli on reproducibility of RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) patterns

Laver (Porphyra yezoensis) DNAs were extracted from thalli with five different procedures and used for RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis as templates. Restriction enzyme-digestive DNAs were obtained with all procedures examined. However, RAPD patterns generated with these DNAs appeared highly irreproducible and were considerably different from each other. When DNAs purified with CsCl gradient centrifugation were used for RAPD analysis as templates, highly reproducible RAPD patterns were obtained, suggesting that unpurified DNAs extracted from thalli with all five extraction procedures contained an excess of RNA, polysaccharides and/or other materials which affected the RAPD reproducibility. Thus, results indicated that purification of DNA is essential to produce reproducible RAPD patterns of Porphyra DNA. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variation in satellite DNA from some higher plants

Pure satellite DNAs were prepared as minor components after centrifugation to equilibrium on CsCl gradients. A single satellite DNA band was isolated from flax (Linum usitatissimum) DNA and two bands were resolved in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) DNA. These apparently homogeneous components of the plant genomes were further analyzed by thermal denaturation and renaturation. The flax satellite DNA appeared homogeneous on thermal denaturation but was shown to contain several components of renaturation. The two cucumber satellite DNAs were different from each other, but both showed at least two components in denaturation and renaturation analyses. Renaturation in the three satellites, particularly in flax, was inaccurate, indicating a considerable degree of sequence divergence. Although each satellite contained quite large amounts of simple repetitious sequences, a residual heterogeneous DNA fraction was always present. It is considered that this was too large a portion of the satellite DNA to be due to organelle or ribosomal DNA in cucumber. The latter possibility is precluded in flax, where the satellite is completely resolved in buoyant density from both organelle and ribosomal DNA.     

Elimination of germ-line tandemly repeated sequences from the somatic genome of the ciliate Oxytricha fallax

The ciliated protozoa exhibit nuclear dimorphism. The genome of the somatic macronucleus arises from the germ-line genome of the micronucleus following conjugation. We have studied the fates of highly repetitious sequences in this process. Two cloned, tandemly repeated sequences from the micronucleus of Oxytricha fallax were used as probes in hybridizations to micronuclear and macronuclear DNA. The results of these experiments show: (1) the cloned repeats are members of two apparently unrelated repetitious sequence families, which each appear to comprise a few percent of the micronuclear genome, and (2) the amount of either family in the macronuclei from which our DNA was prepared is about 1/15 that found in an equal number of diploid micronuclei. Most, if not all, of the apparent macronuclear copies of these repeats can be accounted for by micronuclear contamination, which strongly suggests that these sequences are eliminated from the macronuclei and have no vegetiative function.     

Subunit structure of chromatin and the organization of eukaryotic highly repetitive DNA: recurrent periodicities and models for the evolutionary origins of repetitive DNA.

A restriction enzyme analysis of the repeat structure of mouse satellite, sheep satellite II, human highly repetitive fractions, calf satellite I, and a repetitive fraction of the rat indicates that those DNAs share repeat periodicites in common with one another and with the highly repetitive component α DNA of the African green monkey. The basic repeat periodicity of component α is 176 ± 4 nucleotide base-pairs: the repeat periodicities of the various highly repetitive fractions described here also seem based on this fundamental unit, but it is disguised by a superimposed, higher order repeat organization in each case. The higher orders of organization are based on integral multiples of the basic unit which may reflect the nucleosome spacing of constitutive heterochromatin. With the exception of component α DNA, which shows a repeat structure based on a monomer of 176 ± 4 nucleotide base-pairs, all of the highly repetitive DNAs examined showed a preference for even-numbered or geometric multiples of the basic unit in their higher order sequence organization. It is suggested that such organization is a relatively recent development in the hierarchical evolution of the sequences.Several models are discussed which may account for the higher order organization and expansion of these highly repetitive DNAs. Either a modified unequal crossover model (Smith, 1973) or a modified replicative loop model (Keyl, 1965a) seems consistent with many of the properties of highly repetitive DNAs. The models may have implications for the number, distribution and intranuclear rearrangements of transcribed sequences associated with such DNAs.     

Composite motifs and repeat symmetry in S. pombe centromeres: direct analysis by integration of NotI restriction sites

S. pombe centromeres are large and complex. We introduced a method that enables us to characterize directly centromere DNAs. Genomic DNA fragments containing cen1, cen2, or cen3, respectively, are made by cleaving NotI sites integrated on target sites and are partially restricted for long-range mapping in PFG electrophoresis. The 40 kb long cen1 consists of two inverted approximately 10 kb motifs, each containing centromeric elements dg and dh, flanked by a central region. In cen2, three motifs are arranged in inverted and direct orientations with flanking domains, making up the approximately 70 kb long repetitious region. In cen3, approximately 15 copies of dg-dh constitute a region longer than 100 kb. A set of inverted motifs with an approximately 15 kb central region might be a prototype for the S. pombe centromeres. The motifs appear to play a role in chromosome stability and segregation. Their action may be additive, and the mutual directions of dg and dh inside a motif may not be essential for function.     

Length Polymorphisms in Human Proline-Rich Protein Genes Generated by Intragenic Unequal Crossing over

Southern blot hybridization analysis of genomic DNAs from 44 unrelated individuals revealed extensive insertion/deletion polymorphisms within the BstNI-type loci (PRB1, PRB2, PRB3 and PRB4) of the human proline-rich protein (PRP) multigene family. Ten length variants were cloned, including alleles at each of the four PRB loci, and in every case the region of length difference was localized to the tandemly repetitious third exon. DNA sequences covering the region of length variation were determined for seven of the alleles. The data indicate (1) that the PRB loci can be divided into two subtypes, PRB1 plus PRB2, and PRB3 plus PRB4, and (2) that the length differences result from different numbers of tandem repeats in the third exons. Variant chromosomes were also identified with different numbers of PRP loci resulting from homologous but unequal exchange between the PRB1 and PRB2 loci. The overall data are compatible with the observed length variants having been generated via homologous but unequal intragenic exchange. The results also indicate that these crossover events are sensitive to the amount of homology shared between the interacting DNA strands. Allelic length variants have arisen independently at least 20 times at the PRB loci, but only one has been detected at a PRH locus. Comparison of the detailed structures of the repetitious regions in PRB and PRH loci shows that the repeats in PRB genes are very similar to each other in sequence and in length. The PRH genes contain fewer repeats, which differ considerably in their individual lengths. These differences suggest that the larger number of length variants in PRB genes is related to their greater ease of homologous but unequal pairing compared to PRH genes.     

Nucleic acid hybridization of highly repeated DNA in extracts of single Drosophila.

We have developed and characterized a method for the rapid detection and quantitation of specific DNAs in partially purified extracts of single Drosophila. While the method should be applicable to a number of repetitious DNA sequences, we have used the polypyrimidine DNA sequences (TCTCT)n to develop this technique. Using hydroxyapatite chromatography, we were able to measure the amount of nucleic acid hybrid formed and to obtain a thermal elution profile of the hybrid formed in extracts of single flies. Under a variety of conditions, purified DNA and DNA in partially purified extracts gave essentially identical results. The procedure can be used to detect the presence of rare sequences, or to measure the relative abundance of a prevalent DNA species. 40 different wild type strains of Drosophila melanogaster were examined using this technique and all contain similar amounts of the same polypyrimidine/polypurine sequence. From a small scale screening of different laboratory stocks of D. melanogaster, a variant was found which formed more DNA-DNA hybrid with labelled polypyrimidine tracts than did wild type. The additional hybrid was distinguished by a lower thermal stability than the hybrid formed in wild type.     

一种提取蜘蛛基因组DNA的有效方法

介绍了用尿素法提取蜘蛛基因组DNA。通过与其他DNA提取方法相比较,证明尿素法具有可在室温条件下进行、DNA得率高、完整性好、简单快速等优点。以提取的DNA为模板进行PCR扩增,获得预期大小的、高重复、高GC含量的编码蜘蛛牵引丝蛋白基因的DNA片段。