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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #199885
Title: Histone and ribosomal RNA repetitive gene clusters linked in tandem array

Author
item Roehrdanz, Richard
item SENECHAL, PATTI
item HEILMANN, LARRY

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2006
Publication Date: 5/24/2006
Citation: Roehrdanz, R.L., Senechal, P.L., Heilmann, L.J. 2006. Histone and ribosomal RNA repetitive gene clusters linked in tandem array [abstract]. Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution. Presentation No. P132-B.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Histones are the major protein component of chromatin structure. 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 familiar spacers ITS1, ITS2 and IGS. This cluster is also tandemly repeated. We have found that the ribosomal RNA repeat unit of at least two species of Anthonomine weevils (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 effective size of the IGS with the included histone cluster is >8000 bp. The species are Anthonomus grandis (cotton boll weevil) and A. texanus. The complete reiterated histone ribosomal sequence is >16,000 bp.