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Identification of enhancer-like elements in the ribosomal intergenic spacer of Odontophrynus americanus 2n and 4n (Amphibia, Anura)

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Abstract

Repetitive elements are found in the ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) of most organisms. A particularly complex pattern of internal repetition occurs in the IGSs of O. americanus 2n and 4n, which are composed of several types of BamHI subrepeats (B-SRs). The most repetitive one is approximately 87 bp long, and is highly represented in the IGS variants of these amphibians. Sequence analyses of six diploid and two tetraploid B-SRs show 87% and 86% homology, respectively, and related secondary structure predictions. The comparison of the 2n and 4n B-SR sequences aligned with the 81 bp enhancer of Xenopus laevis reveals 36% homology. Furthermore, other B-SR features like size, number, and secondary structures resemble those of Xenopus enhancers, suggesting that B-SRs may function as regulators of O. americanus rDNA transcription. The present data also corroborate the close evolutionary relationship between 2n and 4n O. americanus species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics Laboratory, Butantan Institute, Brazil

    Lúcia Elvira Alvares & Itamar R.G. Ruiz

  2. Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Gustave-Roussy Institute, Villejuif, France

    O. Brison

Authors
  1. Lúcia Elvira Alvares
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  2. O. Brison
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  3. Itamar R.G. Ruiz
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Alvares, L.E., Brison, O. & Ruiz, I.R. Identification of enhancer-like elements in the ribosomal intergenic spacer of Odontophrynus americanus 2n and 4n (Amphibia, Anura). Genetica 104, 41–44 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003475928921

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003475928921

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