Isolation and characterization of an unusual repeated sequence from the ribosomal intergenic spacer of the crucifer Sisymbrium irio.

A recombinant plasmid containing a 433 base pair (bp) Bam HI fragment from Sisymbrium irio genomic DNA was isolated and characterized. This fragment was shown to be a ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence which is reiterated up to six times in the IGS and extends close to the 5' end of the 18S rRNA gene. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned element is composed of 10-11 40 bp blocks that are probably derived from a common ancestor. The presence of a similar sequence can be detected in the DNA of another Sisymbrium species and in Matthiola incana. Homology was also found with the last 43 nucleotides of the radish IGS 3' end, suggesting that there is possibly a common ancestral nucleotide motif in cruciferous IGS sequences. The cloned element hybridises to RNA transcripts, indicating that the S. irio IGS repetitive sequence is at least partially transcribed during the pre-rRNA transcription process.