title: Structural analysis of mature and dicistronic transcripts from the 18 S and 5 S ribosomal RNA genes of maize mitochondria.
abstract: Analysis of the 18 S and 5 S ribosomal RNA transcripts of maize mitochondria is described. The 5' and 3' ends of both mature rRNAs were defined by S1 nuclease protection analysis, which also showed that a small fraction of the total 18 S and 5 S rRNA population resides on common transcripts. The 5' termini of many of these RNAs are upstream from the mature 18 S 5' endpoint. Northern hybridization detected several high molecular weight RNAs that were homologous to the 5 S and 18 S genes and their flanking sequences. Because the two rRNAs share a number of transcripts, we propose that these genes are transcribed as one or more large dicistronic RNAs that are subsequently processed to mature ribosomal RNA molecules. A model for the processing of the large putative precursors is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, CA 94305.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Walbot
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics*; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S