Single copy DNA homology in sea stars.

The sequence homology in the single copy DNA of sea stars has been measured. Labeled single copy DNA from Pisaster ochraceus was reannealed with excess genomic DNA from P. brevispinus, Evasterias troschelii, Pycnopodia helianthoides, Solaster stimpsoni, and Dermasterias imbricata. Reassociation reactions were performed under two criteria of salt and temperature. The extent of reassociation and thermal denaturation characteristics of hybrid single copy DNA molecules follow classical taxonomic lines. P. brevispinus DNA contains essentially all of the sequences present in P. ochraceus single copy tracer while Evasterias and Pycnopodia DNAs contain 52% and 46% of such sequences respectively. Reciprocal reassociation reactions with labeled Evasterias single copy DNA confirm the amount and fidelity of the sequence homology. There is a small definite reaction of uncertain homology between P. ochraceus single copy DNA and Solaster or Dermasterias DNA. Similarly Solaster DNA contains sequences homologous to approximately 18% of Dermasterias unique DNA. The thermal denaturation temperatures of heteroduplexes indicate that the genera Pisaster and Evasterias diverged shortly after the divergence of the subfamilies Pycnopodiinae and Asteriinae. The two Pisaster species diverged more recently, probably in the most recent quarter of the interval since the separation of the genera Pisaster and Evasterias.