skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Genomic organization and developmental fate of adjacent repeated sequences in a foldback DNA clone of Tetrahymena thermophila

Journal Article · · Genetics; (United States)
OSTI ID:5445709

DNA sequence elimination and rearrangement occurs during the development of somatic cell lineages of eukaryotes and was first discovered over a century ago. However, the significance and mechanism of chromatin elimination are not understood. DNA elimination also occurs during the development of the somatic macronucleus from the germinal micronucleus in unicellular ciliated protozoa such as Tetrahymena thermophila. In this study foldback DNA from the micronucleus was used as a probe to isolate ten clones. All of those tested (4/4) contained sequences that were repetitive in the micronucleus and rearranged in the macronucleus. Inverted repeated sequences were present in one clone. This clone, pTtFBl, was subjected to a detailed analysis of its developmental fate. Subregions were subcloned and used as probes against Southern blots of micronuclear and macronuclear DNA. DNA was labeled with (/sup 33/P)-labeled dATP. The authors found that all subregions defined repeated sequence families in the micronuclear genome. A minimum of four different families was defined, two of which are retained in the macronucleus and two of which are completely eliminated. The inverted repeat family is retained with little rearrangement. Two of the families, defined by subregions that do not contain parts of the inverted repeat are totally eliminated during macronuclear development-and contain open reading frames. The significance of retained inverted repeats to the process of elimination is discussed.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
OSTI ID:
5445709
Journal Information:
Genetics; (United States), Vol. 117:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English