Isolation and characterization of Chinese hamster ribosomal DNA clones

We have examined the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line. A partial EcoRI library of genomic CHO DNA was prepared using lambda Charon-4A. We isolated two recombinants containing the region transcribed as 45S pre-rRNA and 13 kb of external spacer flanking 5' and 3' to the transcribed region. These sequences show restriction site homology with the vast majority of the genomic sequences complementary to rRNA. In addition to this form of rDNA, Southern blot analysis of EcoRI-cut CHO genomic DNA reveals numerous minor fragments ranging from 2 to 19 kb which are complementary to 18S rRNA. We isolated one clone which contains the 18S rRNA gene and sequences 5' which appear to contain length heterogeneity within the non-transcribed spacer region. We have nine additional cloned EcoRI fragments in which the homology with 18S rRNA is limited to a 0.9-kb EcoRI-HindIII fragment. This EcoRI-HindIII fragment is present in each of the cloned EcoRI fragments, and is flanked on both sides by apparently nonribosomal sequences which bear little restriction site homology with each other or the major cloned rDNA repeat.     

An electron microscope heteroduplex study of the ribosomal DNAs of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus mulleri

The arrangement of the genes and spacers has been analyzed in ribosomal DNA of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus mulleri by heteroduplex mapping and visualization of ribosomal RNA-DNA hybrids. Heterologous reassoeiated molecules show a characteristic pattern in which two perfectly duplexed regions, whose lengths are those predicted by the known lengths of the 18 S and 28 S genes, are separated by a small substitution loop of about 0.23 × 10⁶ daltons and a large region of partial homology which averages 3.24 × 10⁶ daltons. These mismatched regions are entirely consistent with the known sequence divergence previously described (Brown et al., 1972) for the transcribed and non-transcribed spacer regions of the two rDNAs, respectively. Hybrids of X. laevis rDNA with 18 S and 28 S rRNA contain two duplex regions of the expected lengths for the 18 S and 28 S genes separated by 0.49 × 10⁶ daltons of single-strand DNA. This latter value is the length of the transcribed spacer region between the 18 S and 28 S RNAs that has been measured within the 40 S RNA precursor molecule by secondary structure mapping (Wellauer &; Dawid, personal communication). There is also a longer single-strand region separating one 18 S + 28 S gene set from the next; this is considered to be mainly non-transcribed spacer.We conclude that the 18 S and 28 S genes are separated by about 0.5 × 10⁶ daltons of DNA of which about half is homologous in the two Xenopus species. This region is part of the transcribed spacer. In addition, the longer non-transcribed spacer can be seen to have some homology between the two species; the location of this homology is fairly reproducible between molecules and has been carefully documented by contour length measurements.     

Structural analysis of ribosomal DNA homologues in nucleolus-less mutant of Xenopus laevis

Sequences homologous to the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) in a Xenopus anucleolate (nucleolus-less) mutant were analyzed by Southern blot analysis. The mutant was found to possess a variety of sequences homologous to non-transcribed spacer (NTS) and/or coding region of rDNA. 65 rDNA-homologous clones were isolated from a genomic DNA library of the mutant. All the clones showed only partial homology to the normal rDNA unit and their restriction maps differed from that of the normal rDNA unit. Based on the hybridization patterns, the rDNA-homologous clones were divided into four groups (I-IV). Structure of group IV, which most strongly hybridized to normal rDNA probe, was analyzed by nucleotide sequencing. The group IV sequence was found to contain a part of the rDNA, including Bam island, enhancer element, promoter region, external transcribed spacer, and a portion of 18S rRNA gene. The blotting analysis suggested that the group IV sequence is specific for a particular strain of Xenopus.     

DNA sequence of the 16S rRNA/23S rRNA intercistronic spacer of two rDNA operons of the archaebacterium Methanococcus vannielii

The DNA sequence of the spacer (plus flanking) regions separating the 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA genes of two presumptive rDNA operons of the archaebacterium Methanococcus vannielii was determined. The spacers are 156 and 242 base pairs in size and they share a sequence homology of 49 base pairs following the 3' terminus of the 16S rRNA gene and of about 60 base pairs preceding the 5' end of the 23S rRNA gene. The 242 base pair spacer, in addition contains a sequence which can be transcribed into tRNAAla, whereas no tRNA-like secondary structure can be delineated from the 156 base pair spacer region. Almost complete sequence homology was detected between the end of the 16S rRNA gene and the 3' termini of either Escherichia coli or Halobacterium halobium 16S rRNA, whereas the putative 5' terminal 23S rRNA sequence shared partial homology with E. coli 23S rRNA and eukaryotic 5.8S rRNA.     

Mouse rDNA: sequences and evolutionary analysis of spacer and mature RNA regions.

Two regions of mouse rDNA were sequenced. One contained the last 323 nucleotides of the external transcribed spacer and the first 595 nucleotides of 18S rRNA; the other spanned the entire internal transcribed spacer and included the 3' end of 18S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA, and the 5' end of 28S rRNA. The mature rRNA sequences are very highly conserved from yeast to mouse (unit evolutionary period, the time required for a 1% divergence of sequence, was 30 X 10(6) to 100 X 10(6) years). In 18S rRNA, at least some of the evolutionary expansion and increase in G + C content is due to a progressive accretion of discrete G + C-rich insertions. Spacer sequence comparisons between mouse and rat rRNA reveal much more extensive and frequent insertions and substitutions of G + C-rich segments. As a result, spacers conserve overall G + C richness but not sequence (UEP, 0.3 X 10(6) years) or specific base-paired stems. Although no stems analogous to those bracketing 16S and 23S rRNA in Escherichia coli pre-rRNA are evident, certain features of the spacer regions flanking eucaryotic mature rRNAs are conserved and could be involved in rRNA processing or ribosome formation. These conserved regions include some short homologous sequence patterns and closely spaced direct repeats.     

More ribosomal spacer sequences from Xenopus laevis.

The base sequence analysis of a Xenopus laevis ribosomal DNA repeat (7) has been extended to cover almost the entire non-transcribed and external transcribed spacer. A compilation of these sequences is presented. All the repetitive and non-repetitive sequence elements of the spacer are identified and their evolution discussed. Comparison of the X.laevis and S.cerevisiae (25,26) ribosomal DNAs shows about 80% sequence conservation in the 18S gene but no sequence conservation, from the available data, in the external transcribed spacer. The sequence coding for the 3' terminus of the X.laevis 40S ribosomal precursor RNA is presented and its structural features analyzed.