Open AccessINTRASPECIFIC VARIATION OF RIBOSOMAL GENE REDUNDANCY IN ZEA MAYS
Author(s) -
Samuel A. Ramirez,
John Sinclair
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.792
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1943-2631
pISSN - 0016-6731
DOI - 10.1093/genetics/80.3.495
Subject(s) - biology , intraspecific competition , genetics , ribosomal rna , gene , ribosomal dna , gene duplication , genome , redundancy (engineering) , mutant , ploidy , phylogenetics , zoology , computer science , operating system
Ribosomal genes in eukaryotes are highly redundant. Considerable variation in the level of redundancy among species, especially in higher plants, has been reported; but except for deletion and duplication mutants, it is generally accepted that intraspecific variability in redundancy level is small. We have examined the level of redundancy in several lines of maize by DNA-rRNA saturation hybridization. The amount of nuclear DNA which hybridizes with rRNA in the ten lines examined varied from 0.24% to 0.50%. The number of rRNA genes per diploid genome thus ranges from 1.12 x 10(4) to 2.32 x 10(4). Results also indicate that the level of redundancy is genetically transmitted.