Nucleotide sequence analyses of the cytoplasmic 5S ribosomal ribonucleic acid from five species of flowering plants

Broad-bean 5S rRNA labelled with (32)P was digested separately with T(1) and pancreatic A ribonucleases and the resulting oligonucleotides (20 and 18 respectively) were fractionated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The oligonucleotides were analysed further and 32 of them have been completely sequenced. They were compared with those of 5S rRNA from dwarf bean, sunflower, tomato and rye. Sequence differences were found at both the 3'- and 5'-termini and at up to nine other positions. Most base substitutions were transitions between C and U. In common with other 5S rRNA species that have been analysed the ends of the molecule in each plant species have complementary sequences.