Structure and evolution of a mouse tRNA gene cluster encoding tRNAAsp, tRNAGly and tRNAGlu and an unlinked, solitary gene encoding tRNAAsp

We have sequenced mouse tRNA genes from two recombinant lambda phage. An 1800 bp sequence from one phage contains 3 tRNA genes, potentially encoding tRNAAsp, tRNAGly, and tRNAGlu, separated by spacer sequences of 587 bp and 436 bp, respectively. The mouse tRNA gene cluster is homologous to a rat sequence (Sekiya et al., 1981, Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 2239-2250). The mouse and rat tRNAAsp and tRNAGly coding regions are identical. The tRNAGlu coding regions differ at two positions. The flanking sequences contain 3 non-homologous areas: a c. 100 bp insertion in the first mouse spacer, short tandemly repeated sequences in the second spacers and unrelated sequences at the 3' ends of the clusters. In contrast, most of the flanking regions are homologous, consisting of strings of consecutive, identical residues (5-17 bp) separated by single base differences and short insertions/deletions. The latter are often associated with short repeats. The homology of the flanking regions is c. 75%, similar to other murine genes. The second lambda clone contains a solitary mouse tRNAAsp gene. The coding region is identical to that of the clustered tRNAAsp gene. The 5' flanking regions of the two genes contain homologous areas (10-25 bp) separated by unrelated sequences. Overall, the flanking regions of the two mouse tRNAAsp genes are less homologous than those of the mouse and rat clusters.     

Nucleotide sequence of a 1.1 kb fragment of the pea chloroplast genome containing three tRNA genes, one of which is located within an open reading frame of 91 codons.

The nucleotide sequence of a 1082 bp fragment from the pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplast genome is presented. This fragment contains genes for tRNAGlu, tRNATyr and tRNAAsp as well as an open reading frame (ORF) of 91 codons on one strand and two ORFs of 52 and 59 codons on the complementary strand. The tRNAAsp gene is located entirely within the ORF of 91 codons. The first 366 bp of the fragment correspond to 376 bp at one end of a recently published (1) sequence from the broad bean (Vicia faba) chloroplast genome. These regions contain the tRNAGlu and tRNATyr genes, which are identical and separated by 60 bp in both species. These two genes are probably cotranscribed. The intergenic regions in the corresponding segments from the two species are, except for a 10 bp deletion in the pea sequence, 94% homologous.     

Some rRNA operons in E. coli have tRNA genes at their distal ends.

We have previously isolated seven rRNA operons on plasmids or lambda transducing phages and identified various tRNAs encoded by these operons. Each of the seven operons has one of two different spacer tRNA gene arrangements between the genes for 16S and 23S rRNA: either tRNAGlu2 or both tRNAIle1 and tRNAAla1B genes. In addition, various tRNA genes are located at or near the distal ends of rRNA operons. In particular, genes for tRNATrp and tRNAAsp1 are located at the distal end of rrnC at 83 min on the E. coli chromosome. Experiments with various hybrid plasmids, some of which lack the rRNA promoter, have now demonstrated that this promoter is necessary for expression of the distal tRNA genes. Rifampicin run-out experiments have also provided evidence that the tRNATrp gene is located farther from its promoter than the spacer tRNA gene or the 5S RNA gene. These results confirm the localization of genes for tRNATrp and tRNAAsp1 at the distal end of rrnC and strongly suggest that they are co-transcribed with the genes for 16S, tRNAGlu2, 23S and 5S RNA. Other such distal tRNAs have been identified, and it is suggested that they too are part of rRNA operons.     

Three mitochondrial tRNA genes from Arabidopsis thaliana: evidence for the conversion of a tRNAPhe gene into a tRNATyr gene.

Three tRNA genes have been isolated from a genomic library of Arabidopsis thaliana: a tRNASer (GCU), a tRNATyr (GUA) and a tRNAGlu (UUC) genes. These genes are located closely on the same DNA fragment. The tRNASer and the tRNAGlu genes have both 99% sequence similarity with their mitochondrial counterparts from higher plants indicating that these three tRNA genes are mitochondrial. The tRNATyr gene shows a particular high sequence similarity with the mitochondrial tRNAPhe pseudogene from maize, and both genes are flanked by a tRNASer gene in the upstream region. Extensive sequence comparisons of the Arabidopsis thaliana mitochondrial sequence containing the three tRNA genes and the corresponding region from maize and soybean mitochondria have shown evidence that the tRNA Tyr gene has been generated from a mitochondrial tRNAPhe gene. The conversion was accomplished by three genetic events: a 4 base-pair deletion, a mutation and a recombination, which led to the transformation of the acceptor stem and the anticodon.     

太湖新银鱼m tDNA COII和Cytb基因的克隆与序列分析

设计了5对特异性引物,扩增、拼接并测定出太湖新银鱼线粒体tRNAAsp-COII-tRNALys和tRNAGlu-Cytb-tRNAThr两段基因序列片段。基因定位和序列分析发现,太湖新银鱼线粒体COII基因全序列长度为691 bp,序列AT含量为52.80%,编码230个氨基酸;线粒体Cytb基因序列全长为1141 bp,AT含量为48.90%,它编码380个氨基酸。分别位于线粒体COII和Cytb基因两翼的4个tRNA基因(tRNAAsp、tRNALys、tRNAGlu和tRNAThr)同时被测定出来。将太湖新银鱼与有明银鱼、小齿日本银鱼的同源序列进行比对分析,并基于线粒体COII Cytb基因合并数据的核苷酸和氨基酸两种序列形式,以黑斑蛙为外群,对10种鱼类进行分子系统树的构建,结果一致表明:小齿日本银鱼与有明银鱼的亲缘关系近于太湖新银鱼;鲱科与鲑科的亲缘关系近于银鱼科鱼类;此外在本研究硬骨鱼类的4个科中,白鲟科作为原始而古老的类群,是在系统进化的过程中首先分化出来的一支。     

Characterization of a rat tRNA gene cluster: comparison of nucleotide sequences of the gene for tRNALeu newly found in repeating units

In the rat, DNA carrying a cluster of the genes for tRNAAsp, tRNAGly, and tRNAGlu, aligned in that order, is repeated about 10 times. Seven DNA clones corresponding to the independent repeating units were isolated from a rat gene library. Nucleotide sequence analysis of these clones revealed the presence of a fourth tRNA gene, the gene for tRNALeu, in the cluster. The tRNALeu gene is located about 600 base pairs (bp) upstream from the tRNAAsp gene and its polarity differs from those of the other three tRNA genes. Among the repeating units, the nucleotide sequence of tRNALeu is conserved to a relatively high degree.     

Analysis of 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio mimicus

Vibrio cholerae identification based on molecular sequence data has been hampered by a lack of sequence variation from the closely related Vibrio mimicus. The two species share many genes coding for proteins, such as ctxAB, and show almost identical 16S DNA coding for rRNA (rDNA) sequences. Primers targeting conserved sequences flanking the 3' end of the 16S and the 5' end of the 23S rDNAs were used to amplify the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions of V. cholerae and V. mimicus. Two major (ca. 580 and 500 bp) and one minor (ca. 750 bp) amplicons were consistently generated for both species, and their sequences were determined. The largest fragment contains three tRNA genes (tDNAs) coding for tRNAGlu, tRNALys, and tRNAVal, which has not previously been found in bacteria examined to date. The 580-bp amplicon contained tDNAIle and tDNAAla, whereas the 500-bp fragment had single tDNA coding either tRNAGlu or tRNAAla. Little variation, i.e., 0 to 0.4%, was found among V. cholerae O1 classical, O1 El Tor, and O139 epidemic strains. Slightly more variation was found against the non-O1/non-O139 serotypes (ca. 1% difference) and V. mimicus (2 to 3% difference). A pair of oligonucleotide primers were designed, based on the region differentiating all of V. cholerae strains from V. mimicus. The PCR system developed was subsequently evaluated by using representatives of V. cholerae from environmental and clinical sources, and of other taxa, including V. mimicus. This study provides the first molecular tool for identifying the species V. cholerae.     

Sequence organization of the chloroplast ribosomal spacer of Chlamydomonas reinhardii: uninterrupted tRNAile and tRNAala genes and extensive secondary structure

Summary The 1805 bp spacer between the chloroplast ribosomal 16S and 7S RNA genes of Chlamydomonas reinhardii has been sequenced. It contains the genes of tRNA ala and tRNA ile which are both uninterrupted. The spacer includes several short direct and inverted repeats and a large palindromic structure which maps in the region where DNA rearrangements have occurred in other Chlamydomonas species.Paper presented at the First International Congress of Plant Molecular Biology (Savannah, GA, 1985).Paper presented at the First International Congress of Plant Molecular Biology (Savannah, GA, 1985).     

The nucleotide sequences of tRNASer (GCU) and tRNAGln (UUG) genes from tobacco chloroplasts.

The nucleotide sequence of tobacco chloroplast genes for tRNASer (GCU) and tRNAGln (UUG) have been determined. These tRNA genes are encoded on the same DNA strand and separated by 1144 bp. Two open reading frames of 52 codons and 98 codons have been found in this spacer region. The tRNASer (GCU) and tRNAGln (UUG) deduced from the DNA sequences show 67% and 76% sequence homologies with E. coli tRNASer (GCU) and tRNAGln (UUG), respectively.     

麦穗鱼线粒体基因组序列测定及分析

利用麦穗鱼Pseudorasbora parva和相关鱼类的部分线粒体基因序列,设计出2对长批引物和30对短批引物,采用基于长PCR的2次PCR扩增法测定并注释麦穗鱼线粒体基因组全序列。结果表明,麦穗鱼线粒体基因组长16600bp,A+T含量为58.9%,37个基因位置及组成与其它硬骨鱼一致,均由13个蛋白编码基因、22个tRNA、2个rRNA基因和1个控制区(D-loop)组成。其中L链仅含8个tRNA(Pro、T yr、Ser、Ala、Asn、Cys、Glu、Gln)及ND6基因,其余基因皆由H链编码。基因排列紧密,间隔序列共计13处64bp,长度从1～32bp不等;基因重叠区7处23bp,重叠碱基数在1～7bp之间。13个蛋白编码基因中,除COI起始密码子为GTG外,其余均以ATG为起始密码子;有8个基因(ND1、ND2、COI、ATP6、ATP8、ND4L、ND5、ND6)3’端有完全的TAA或TAG终止密码子,其它5个基因终止密码子为不完整的TA(ND3和ND4)或T(COⅡ,COⅢ,Cyt b)。除tRNASer(AGY)外,其余21个tRNA基因的二级结构均为典型的三叶草结构。预测的lrRNA二级结构共有6个结构域,53个茎环结构,srRNA二级结构包含43个茎环结构。控制区(D-loop)存在3个结构区:终止序列区(TAS)、中央保守区(CSB-F、CSB-D)和保守序列区(CSB-1、CSB-2、CSB-3),其中TAS与DNA复制终止相关,出现茎环结构。     

Transfer RNA gene mapping studies on cyanelle DNA from Cyanophora paradoxa

Summary The 4S RNA of cyanelles from Cyanophora paradoxa strain LB 555 UTEX was fractionated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Individual tRNA species were identified by aminoacylation, labeled in vitro and hybridized to restriction endonuclease fragments of cyanelle DNA. Hybridization experiments, using individual tRNA species, have revealed the location of two tRNA genes, coding for tRNA^Ala and tRNA^Ile, in each of the two spacer segments separating the 16S and 23S rRNA genes on the two inverted repeats (10 kbp each) and three tRNA genes in the small single-copy region (17 kbp) separating the two inverted repeats. A minimum of 14 tRNA genes in the large single-copy region (88.5 kbp) has also been found.Heterologous hybridization studies, using cyanelle tRNAs and chloroplast DNA from spinach, broad bean, or maize, indicate a high degree of homology between some tRNAs from cyanelles and chloroplasts.Although cyanelles are often condisered as having evolved from endosymbiotic cyanobacteria, the organization of tRNA genes on cyanelle DNA and the results of heterologous hybridization studies show that cyanelles are related to higher plant chloroplasts.