Genome complexity and in vivo transcription in human leukemic leukocytes.

Human DNA contains 35 percent repetitive and 65 percent nonrepetitive sequences. Eight satellite DNAs have now been identified in human DNA. The highly repetitive non-satellite sequences are arranged in blocks 1,100 nucleotides long and interspersed with intermediate repetitive and nonrepetitive sequences greater than 2,500 nucleotides long. Approximately 2.5-3.9 percent of the nonrepetitive sequences are represented in total cellular RNA of normal and leukemic leukocytes.