Page Contents: Abstract | Summary Chart

---

Sucgang, R., Chen, G., Liu, W., Lindsay, R., Lu, J., Muzny, D., Shaulsky, G., Loomis, W., Gibbs, R., Kuspa, A., (2003) ' Sequence and structure of the extrachromosomal palindrome encoding the ribosomal RNA genes in Dictyostelium. ' Nucleic Acids Res 31 2361-8

 

Abstract:Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) are encoded by multicopy families of identical genes. In Dictyostelium and other protists, the rDNA is carried on extrachromosomal palindromic elements that comprise up to 20% of the nuclear DNA. We present the sequence of the 88 kb Dictyostelium rDNA element, noting that the rRNA genes are likely to be the only transcribed regions. By interrogating a library of ordered YAC clones, we provide evidence for a chromosomal copy of the rDNA on chromosome 4. This locus may provide master copies for the stable transmission of the extrachromosomal elements. The extrachromosomal elements were also found to form chromosome-sized clusters of DNA within nuclei of nocodazole-treated cells arrested in mitosis. These clusters resemble true chromosomes and may allow the efficient segregation of the rDNA during mitosis. These rDNA clusters may also explain the cytological observations of a seventh chromosome in this organism.
Status:	Published	Type:	Journal article	Source:	PUBMED	PubMed ID:	12711681

---

 

	Genes addressed in this paper
	17S_rRNA-1	17S_rRNA-2	26S_rRNA-1	26S_rRNA-2	5.8S_rRNA-1	5.8S_rRNA-2	5S_rRNA-1	5S_rRNA-2
Topics in this paper
Genome-wide Analysis	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
DNA/RNA Sequence Features	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X