Characterization of cytoplasmic and nuclear genomes in the colorless alga Polytoma. III. Ribosomal RNA cistrons of the nucleus and leucoplast.

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Abstract
The colorless alga P. obtusum has leucoplasts and 2 kinds of ribosomes withe sedimentation values of 73S and 79S. The ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of the 73S but not the 79S ribosomes was shown to hybridize with the leucoplast DNA (.rho. = 1.682 g/ml). Nuclear DNA of Polytoma (.rho. = 1.711) showed specific hybridization with rRNA from the 79S ribosomes. Saturation hybridization indicated that only one copy of the rRNA cistrons was present per leucoplast genome, with an average buoyant density of .rho. = 1.700. On the other hand, about 750 copies of the cytoplasmic rRNA cistrons were present per nuclear genome with a density of .rho. = 1.709. Heterologous hybridization studies with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii rRNAs showed an estimated 80% homology between the two cytoplasmic rRNAs, but only a 50% homology between chloroplast and leucoplast rRNAs of the 2 spp. The leucoplasts of Polytoma apparently derive from chloroplasts of a Chlamydomonas-like ancestor, but the leucoplast rRNA cistrons have diverged in evolution more extensively than the cistrons for cytoplasmic rRNA.