Kpn I family of long interspersed repeated DNA sequences in primates: polymorphism of family members and evidence for transcription.

An approximately equal to 2-kilobase-pair-long member (Kpn I-LS1) of the African green monkey Kpn I family of repeated sequences has been cloned, subjected to sequence analysis, and compared to other family members which are over 6 kilobase pairs (Kpn I-alpha 7) and 829 base pairs (Kpn I-RET) long. Both Kpn I-LS1 and Kpn I-RET lack sequences found at the ends of the longer family member and their structures resemble those of processed genes. Kpm I-LS1 sequences are colinear with part of the long family member, Kpn I-alpha 7. However, although all sequences in Kpn I-RET are represented in Kpn I-LS1, the two are not colinear; Kpn I-RET is missing 731 base pairs found in Kpn I-LS1 and one segment flanking the deletion is inverted. The results demonstrate that Kpn I family members are not only of different lengths but may also contain scrambled arrangements of common sequences. Sequences in Kpn I-LS1 hybridize to RNA from monkey and human cells, indicating that some family members are transcribed.