Organization and nucleotide sequence of genes at both junctions between the two inverted repeats and the large single-copy region in the rice chloroplast genome.

We describe the isolation and organization, at the nucleotide sequence level, of genes located at the two junctions of the large single-copy region (LSCR) and the two inverted repeats (IRA and IRB) in the rice chloroplast genome. This is the first example where the two junctions are precisely located in a monocot. In rice, a ribosomal protein gene cluster, rpl23-rpl2-rps19, which codes for the ribosomal proteins L23 (rpl23), L2 (rpl2) and S19 (rps19), lies at the ends of the two IRs near the LSCR. The inverted repeats end 45 bp from the translation stop codon of rps19. The gene for the 32-kDa photosystem II protein, psbA, is located at the extremity of the LSCR near IRA, and transcribed towards IRA. The translation stop codon of psbA is 68 bp from the right-hand junction (JLA). Thus, JLA is located within the intergenic sequence of the two genes, rps19 and psbA. Around the left-hand junction (JLB), there is a typical ribosomal protein gene cluster, rpl23-rpl2-rps19-rpl22 (rpl22 for the ribosomal protein L22). The translation start codon of rpl22 is located in the LSCR 25 bp from JLB. Therefore, JLB is located within the intergenic sequence between rps19 and rpl22.