Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

11 p.

Publication Date

9-1994

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Source Publication

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Source ISSN

0270-7306

Original Item ID

doi: 10.1128/MCB.14.9.5939

Abstract

Extensive DNA rearrangement occurs during the development of the somatic macronucleus from the germ line micronucleus in ciliated protozoans. The micronuclear junctions and the macronuclear product of a developmentally regulated DNA rearrangement in Tetrahymena thermophila, Tlr1, have been cloned. The intrachromosomal rearrangement joins sequences that are separated by more than 13 kb in the micronucleus with the elimination of moderately repeated micronucleus-specific DNA sequences. There is a long, 825-bp, inverted repeat near the micronuclear junctions. The inverted repeat contains two different 19-bp tandem repeats. The 19-bp repeats are associated with each other and with DNA rearrangements at seven locations in the micronuclear genome. Southern blot analysis is consistent with the occurrence of the 19-bp repeats within pairs of larger repeated sequences. Another family member was isolated. The 19-mers in that clone are also in close proximity to a rearrangement junction. We propose that the 19-mers define a small family of developmentally regulated DNA rearrangements having elements with long inverted repeats near the junction sites. We discuss the possibility that transposable elements evolve by capture of molecular machinery required for essential cellular functions.

Comments

Published version. Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vol. 14, No. 9 (September 1994): 5939-5949. DOI. © 1994 American Society for Microbiology. Used with permission.

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