Sequence and organization of large subunit rRNA genes from the extrachromosomal 35 kb circular DNA of the malaria parasitePlasmodium falciparum

Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum carries an extrachromosomal 35 kb circular DNA molecule of unknown provenance. A striking feature of the circle is a pallndromic sequence of genes for subunlt rRNAs and several tRNAs, spanning ca. 10.5 kb. The palindrome has an Intriguing resemblance to the inverted repeat of plastid genomes, and the sequence and putative secondary structure of the malarial large subunlt (LSU) rRNA described in this report were used as the basis of a phylogenetlc study. The malarial rRNA was found to be highly divergent in comparison with a selected group of chloroplast LSU rRNAs but was more closely related to them than to mltochondrial LSU rRNA genes.

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