Skip to main content
Log in

The organization and genetics of rDNA length variants in peas

  • Published:
Chromosoma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There is extensive repeat length variation in pea rDNA. Many lines of pea have more than one repeat length class, and those with two rDNA repeat length classes are the most common. No interspersion of rDNA repeat length classes has been found. The rDNA length classes show simple Mendelian inheritance. Length variation of pea rDNA is organized between long tandem arrays of rDNA repeat. Studies of trisomies have shown that rDNA length class dosage correlates with chromosome dosage.

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

  • Appels R, Gerlach WL, Dennis ES, Swift H, Peacock WK (1980) Molecular and chromosomal organization of DNA sequences coding for the ribosomal RNAs in cereals. Chromosoma 78:293–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnheim N and Southern EM (1977) Heterogeneity of the ribosomal genes in mice and men. Cell 11:363–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnheim N, Krystal M, Schmickel R, Wilson G, Ryder O, Zimmer E (1980) Molecular evidence for genetic exchanges among ribosomal genes on non-homologous chromosomes in man and apes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:7323–7327

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnheim N, Treco D, Taylor B, Eicher E (1982) Distribution of the ribosomal gene length variants among mouse chromosomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 79:4677–4680

    Google Scholar 

  • Bird AP (1977) A study of the early events in ribosomal gene amplification. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 42:1179–1183

    Google Scholar 

  • Clewell DB, Helinski DR (1970) Properties of a supercoiled deoxyribonucleic acid-protein relaxation complex and strand specificity of the relaxation event. Biochemistry 9:4428–4440

    Google Scholar 

  • Coen ES, Thoday JM, Dover G (1982) Rate of turnover of structural variants in the rDNA gene family of Drosophila melanogaster. Nature 295:564–568

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullis CA, Davies DR (1975) Ribosomal DNA amounts in Pisum sativum. Genetics 81:485–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies DR, Cullis CA (1982) A simple plant polytene chromosome system, and its use for in situ hybridization. Plant Mol Biol 1:301–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawid IB, Wellauer PK, Long EO (1978) Ribosomal DNA in Drosophila melanogaster. I. Isolation and characterization of cloned fragments. J Mol Biol 126:749–768

    Google Scholar 

  • Delseney M, Cooke R, Penon P (1983) Sequence heterogeneity in radish nuclear ribosomal RNA genes. Plant Sci Lett 30:107–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Duggleby RG (1981) A non-linear regression program for small computers. Anal Biochem 110:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis THN, Goldsbrough PB, Castleton JA (1983) Transcription and methylation of flax rDNA. Nucleic Acid Res 11:3047–3064

    Google Scholar 

  • Endow SA (1980) On ribosomal gene compensation in Drosophila. Cell 22:149–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Flavell RB, O'Dell M (1976) Ribosomal RNA genes on homologous chromosomes of group 5 and 6 in hexaploid wheat. Heredity 37:377–385

    Google Scholar 

  • Flavell RB, O'Dell M, Thompson WF (1983) Cytosine methylation of ribosomal RNA genes and nucleolus organiser activity in wheat. In: Brandham PE, Bennet MD (eds) Kew Chromosome Conference II. George Allen and Unwin

  • Freidrich HH, Hemleben V, Key JL (1979) Restriction mapping of ribosomal RNA genes of higher plants. In: Nagl W, Hemleben V, Ehrendorfer F (eds) Plant systematics and evolution supplement 2 organization, evolution, function. Springer-Verlag Wien p 73

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerlach WL, Bedbrook JR (1979) Cloning and characterization of ribosomal RNA genes from wheat and barley. Nucleic Acid Res 7:1869–1885

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsbrough PB, Cullis CA (1981) Characterisation of the genes for ribosomal RNA in flax. Nucleic Acid Res 9:1301–1309

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsbrough PB, Ellis THN, Cullis CA (1981) Organization of the 5S RNA genes in flax. Nucleic Acid Res 9: 5895–5905

    Google Scholar 

  • Jorgensen RA, Cuellar RE, Thompson WF (1982) Modes and tempos in the evolution of ribosomal RNA genes in legumes. Carnigie Inst. Yr. Bk. 81. Rep Dir Dept Plant Pathol 98–101

  • Kato A, Yakura K, Tanifuji S (1982) Organization of the ribosomal DNA in the carrot. Plant Cell Physiol 23:151–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby KS (1965) Isolation and characterization of ribosomal ribonucleic acid. Biochem J 96:266–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamm R (1981) Giemsa C-banding and silver staining for cytological studies in Pisum. Hereditas 94:45–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Long EO, Dawid IB (1980) Repeated genes in eukaryotes. Ann Rev Biochem 49:727–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Maggini F, Carmona MJ (1981) Sequence heterogeneity of the ribosomal DNA in Allium cepa (Liliaceae). Protoplasma 108:163–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrow JF, Cohen SN, Chang ACY and Boyer HW (1974) Replication and transcription of eukaryotic DNA in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 71:1743–1747

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagylaki T (1984) The evolution of multigene families under intrachromosomal gene conversion. Genetics 106:529–548

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohta T (1984) Some models of gene conversion for treating the evolution of multigene families. Genetics 517–528

  • Oono K, Sugiura M (1980) Heterogeneity of the ribosomal RNA gene clusters in rice. Chromosoma 76:85–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Petes TD (1980) Unequal meiotic recombination within tandem arrays of yeast ribosomal DNA genes. Cell 19:765–774

    Google Scholar 

  • Rafalski JA, Wiewiorowski M, Soll D (1983) Organization of ribosomal DNA in yellow lupine (Lupinus luteus) and sequence of the 4.8S RNA gene. FEBS Lett 152:241–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Rochaix J-D, Bird AP (1975) Circular ribosomal DNA and ribosomal DNA replication in somatic amphibian cells. Chromosoma 52:317–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger F, Coulson AR, Hong GF, Hill DF, Petersen GB (1982) Nucleotide sequence of bacteriophage λDNA. J Mol Biol 162:729–773

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel A, Kolacz K (1983) Heterogeneity of pumpkin ribosomal DNA. Plant Physiol 72:166–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorenson JC (1984) The structure and expression of nuclear genes in higher plants. Adv Genet 22:109–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern EM (1979a) Gel electrophoresis of restriction fragments. Methods Enzymol 68:152–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern EM (1979b) Measurement of DNA length by gel electrophoresis. Anal Biochem 100:319–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Szostak JW, Wu R (1980) Unequal crossing over in the ribosomal DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nature 284:426–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Varsanyi-Breiner A, Gusella JF, Keep C, Housman DE (1979) The organization of a nuclear DNA sequence from a higher plant: Molecular cloning and characterization of soyabean ribosomal DNA. Gene 7:317–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellauer PK, Reeder RH, Carroll D, Brown DD, Deutch H, Higashinakagawa T, Dawid IB (1974) Amplified ribosomal DNA from Xenopus laevis has heterogenous spacer lengths. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 71:2823–2827

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellauer PK, Dawid IB, Brown DD, Reeder RH (1976a) The molecular basis for length heterogeneity in robosomal DNA from Xenopus laevis. J Mol Biol 105:461–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellauer PK, Reeder RH, Dawid IB, Brown DD (1976b) The arrangement of length heterogeneity in repeating units of amplified and chromosomal ribosomal DNA from Xenopus laevis J Mol Biol 105:487–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Yakura K, Tanifuji S (1981) The organisation of rRNA genes in Vicia faba. Plant Cell Physiol 22:1105–1111

    Google Scholar 

  • Yakura K, Kato A, Tanifuji S (1984) Length heterogeneity of the large spacer of Vicia faba rDNA is due to the differing numbera of a 326 bp repetitive sequence element. Mol Gen Genet 193:400–405

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ellis, T.H.N., Davies, D.R., Castleton, J.A. et al. The organization and genetics of rDNA length variants in peas. Chromosoma 91, 74–81 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286487

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286487

Keywords

Navigation