Nucleotide sequences of human alpha-DNA repeats.

We have sequenced eight cloned copies of the 340-bp EcoRI repeat of human alpha-DNA (alpha RI-DNA). Compared to the 'consensus' alpha RI-DNA sequence [Wu and Manuelidis, J. Mol. Biol., 142 (1980) 363-386], the eight clones had changes in 1.5, 2.1, 3.2, 3.2, 10.3, 12.9, 15.0 and 18.9% of base pairs. Jorgensen et al. [J. Mol. Biol., 187 (1986) 185-196] have described 21 sub-families of human alpha RI-DNA based on common base substitutions. Three of our sequences appear to be members of the sub-families described by Jorgensen et al., while the other five sequences are from previously undescribed sub-families.