ARS | Publication request: Alternating tandem array of histone and ribosomal RNA gene blocks in the boll weevil

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: November 1, 2007
Publication Date: November 5, 2007
Citation: Roehrdanz, R.L., Heilmann, L., Senechal, P. 2007. Alternating tandem array of histone and ribosomal RNA gene blocks in the boll weevil. Genbank. Accession number: EU215423.

Technical Abstract: Histones are the major protein component of the ncleosome. The histone family is made up of a quintet of proteins, four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 & H4) and the linker histones (H1). Spacers are found between the coding regions. Among insects this quintet of genes is usually clustered and the clusters are tandemly repeated. Ribosomal DNA contains a cluster of the rRNA sequences 18S, 5.8S, and 28S. The rRNA genes are separated by the spacers ITS1, ITS2 and IGS. This cluster is also tandemly repeated. We have found that the ribosomal RNA repeat unit of the boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is interspersed with a block containing histone gene quintet, H1, H2A, H2B, H3, & H4. The histone genes are situated between the rRNA 18S and 28S genes in what known as the intergeneic spacer region (IGS). The complete reiterated histone-ribosomal sequence is >16,000 bp. Accession number: EU215423.