Circular DNA of Entamoeba histolytica Encodes Ribosomal RNA |
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Authors: | SUDHA BHATTACHARYA ALOK BHATTACHARYA LOUIS S. DIAMOND ANTHONY T. SOLDO |
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Affiliation: | Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892;Research Laboratories, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami. Florida 33125 |
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Abstract: | . The presence of repeated DNA sequences encoding RNA in Entamoeba histolytica has been reported. In the present study we demonstrate by agarose gel electrophoresis, DNase digestion and electron microscopic analysis that these genes are located on extrachromosomal circular DNA molecules with an approximate size of 26 kb. Detection of replication intermediates suggests the episomal nature of these molecules. Amplified, extrachromosomal rRNA genes appear to be a common feature among the lower eukaryotes, occurring more commonly as linear molecules and less commonly as circles. Entamoeba histolytica is 1 of the few organisms studied in which rRNA genes are located predominantly on extrachromosomal circles. |
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Keywords: | Agarose gel electrophoresis DNase digestion electron microscopic analysis |
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