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The ribosomal DNA transcription unit of the house cricket,Acheta domesticus

Biochemical Genetics volume 25, pages 345–358 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

A composite map representing a single ribosomal DNA repeat unit of the house cricket,Acheta domesticus, was constructed from overlapping cloned fragments. Sites in the repeat unit for nine restriction enzymes were mapped. R-loop mapping of sequences coding for 18 S and 28 S RNA demonstrates that the 58-kb ribosomal DNA repeat unit contains a novel-sized internal transcribed spacer of 8.4 kb. The existence of this large spacer was confirmed in genomic DNA, most if not all of the genomic repeat units containing such a spacer. A 15- to 17-kb ribosomal RNA precursor transcript is synthesized as predicted on the basis of the size of the internal transcribed spacer. The 5.8 S RNA gene is localized to a 1-kb sequence immediately 5′ to the 28 S gene. The coding regions examined contain no intervening sequences analogous to those described within ribosomal DNA of other eukaryotes. Only 11% of the repeat unit codes for mature ribosomal RNA, while the remainder is nontranscribed (71%) and transcribed (18%) spacer DNA.

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Author notes

  1. Jerry L. Ware

    Present address: Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, 27514, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 72205, Little Rock, Arkansas

    Jerry L. Ware & M. Donald Cave

  2. Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Sciences Campus, 78284, San Antonio, Texas

    Z. Dave Sharp

Authors
  1. Jerry L. Ware
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  2. Z. Dave Sharp
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  3. M. Donald Cave
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Additional information

This work was supported by grants from the Graduate School, UAMS, to J.L.W. and by a PHS Biomedical Support Grant to Z.D.S.

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Ware, J.L., Sharp, Z.D. & Cave, M.D. The ribosomal DNA transcription unit of the house cricket,Acheta domesticus . Biochem Genet 25, 345–358 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00554544

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00554544

Key words

  • ribosomal DNA
  • nontranscribed spacer
  • transcribed spacer
  • ribosomal RNA