Skip to main content
Log in

A DNA sequence of Drosophila melanogaster with a differential telomeric distribution

  • Published:
Chromosoma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A DNA sequence (8–19T) of 2.3 kilobase pairs (kb) of Drosophila melanogaster was localized by in situ hybridization to the extreme ends of polytene chromosomes and to the chromocenter. The relative abundance of this sequence at the ends of polytene chromosomes X∶2L∶2R∶3L∶3R is 1∶3.4∶1.9∶0∶2.7. This differential distribution is probably due to different copy numbers at the individual telomeric regions. Restriction enzyme analysis of genomic DNA shows that 8–19T sequences are interspersed with other sequences. The clone 8–19T, which contains most of this interspersed repetitive sequence, is itself not internally repetitive but has a complex sequence composition. Some of these sequences are transcribed into poly(A)+RNA. We suggest that the ends of Drosophila chromosomes are of a complex arrangement with some sequences common to all ends.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benton WD, Davis RW (1977) Screening λgt recombinant clones by hybridization to single plaques in situ. Science 196:180–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackburn EH, Gall JG (1978) A tandemly repeated sequence at the termini of the extrachromosomal rRNA genes in Tetrahymena. J Mol Biol 120:33–53

    Google Scholar 

  • De Lange T, Borst P (1982) Genomic environment of the expression-linked extra copies of genes for surface antigens of Trypanosoma brucei resembles the end of a chromosome. Nature 299:451–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Goddard JM, Cummings DJ (1977) Mitochondrial DNA replication in Paramecium aurelia. Cross-linking of the initiation end. J Mol Biol 109:327–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg DA (1980) Isolation and partial characterization of the Drosophila alcoholdehydrogenase gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci 77:5794–5798

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi S, Gillam IC, Delaney AD, Tener GM (1978) Acetylation of chromosome squashes in Drosophila melanogaster decreases the background in autoradiographs from hybridizations with 125I-labeled RNA. J Histochem Cytochem 26:677–679

    Google Scholar 

  • Helling RB, Goodman HM, Boyer HW (1974) Analysis of endonuclease R. EcoRI fragments of DNA from lambdoid bacteriophages and other viruses by agarose gel electrophoresis. J Virol 14:1235–1244

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinton T (1945) A study of chromosome ends in salivary gland nuclei of Drosophila. Biol Bull 88:144–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones JDG, Flavell RB (1982a) The mapping of highly repeated DNA families and their relationship to C-bands in chromosomes of Secale cereale. Chromosoma 86:595–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones JDG, Flavell RB (1982b) The structure, amount and chromosome localization of defined repeated DNA sequences of the genus Secale. Chromosoma 86:619–641

    Google Scholar 

  • LeMeur M, Glanville N, Mandel JL, Gerlinger P, Palmiter R, Chambon P (1981) The ovalbumin gene family: A hormonal control of X and Y gene transcription and mRNA accumulation. Cell 23:561–571

    Google Scholar 

  • Loenen WA, Brammar WJ (1980) A bacteriophage lambda vector for cloning large DNA fragments made with several restriction enzymes. Gene 10:249–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Maniatis T, Hardison RC, Lacy E, Lauer J, O'Connell C, Quon D, Sim GK, Efstratiadis A (1978) The isolation of structural genes from libraries of eucaryotic DNA. Cell 15:687–701

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1941) The stability of broken ends of chromosomes in Zea mays. Genetics 26:234–282

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1942) The fusion of broken ends of chromosomes following nuclear fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci 79:5132–5136

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller HJ, Herskowithz IH (1954) Concerning the healing of chromosome ends produced by breakage in Drosophila melanogaster. Am Nat 88:177–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Pardue ML, Gall JG (1975) Nucleic acid hybridization to the DNA of cytological preparation. In: Prescott DM (ed) Methods in cell biology, Vol X. Academic Press, New York, pp 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Peacock WJ, Lohe AR, Gerlach WL, Dunsmuir P, Dennis ES, Appels R (1978) Fine structure and evolution of DNA in heterochromatin. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 42:1121–1135

    Google Scholar 

  • Renkawitz-Pohl R, Kunz W (1975) Underreplication of satellite DNAs in polyploid ovarian tissue of Drosophila virilis. Chromosoma 49:375–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Renkawitz-Pohl R, Glätzer KH, Kunz W (1980) Characterization of cloned ribosomal DNA from Drosophila hydei. Nucl Acid Res 8:4593–4611

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin GM (1978) Isolation of a telomeric DNA sequence from Drosophila melanogaster. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 42:1041–1046

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp S, De Franco D, Silberklang M, Hosbach HA, Schmidt T, Kubli E, Gergen JP, Wensink PC, Söll D (1981) The initiator tRNA genes of D. melanogaster: evidence for a tRNA pseudogene. Nucl Acid Res 9:5867–5882

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith HO, Birnstiel ML (1976) A simple method for DNA restriction site mapping. Nucl Acid Res 3:2387–2398

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern E (1975) Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. J Mol Biol 98:503–517

    Google Scholar 

  • Staller Young B, Pession A, Traverse KL, French C, Pardue ML (1983) Telomere regions in Drosophila share complex DNA sequences with pericentric heterochromatin. Cell 34:85–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Szostak JW, Blackburn EH (1982) Cloning yeast telomeres on linear plasmid vectors. Cell 29:245–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullrich A, Shine J, Chigwin J, Pictet R, Tischer E, Rutter WJ, Goodman HM (1977) Rat insulin genes: construction of plasmids containing the coding sequences. Science 196:1313–1319

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahl GM, Stern M, Stark GR (1979) Efficient transfer of large DNA fragments from agarose gels to diazobenzoxymethal paper and rapid hybridization by using dextran sulfate. Proc Natl Acad Sci 76:3683–3687

    Google Scholar 

  • Warters M, Griffen AB (1950) The telomeres of Drosophila. J Hered 41:182–195

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Renkawitz-Pohl, R., Bialojan, S. A DNA sequence of Drosophila melanogaster with a differential telomeric distribution. Chromosoma 89, 206–211 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00295001

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00295001

Keywords

Navigation