Transfer RNA genes ofZea mays chloroplast DNA

Abstract

A minimum of 37 genes corresponding to tRNAs for 17 different amino acids have been localized on the restriction endonuclease cleavage site map of theZea mays chloroplast DNA molecule. Of these, 14 genes corresponding to tRNAs for 11 amino acids are located in the larger of the two single-copy regions which separate the two inverted copies of the repeat region. One tRNA gene is in the smaller single-copy region. Each copy of the large repeated sequence contains, in addition to the ribosomal RNA genes, 11 tRNA genes corresponding to tRNAs for 8 amino acids. The genes for tRNA₂ ^Ile and tRNA^Ala map in the ribosomal spacer sequence separating the 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA genes. The three isoaccepting species for the tRNAs^Leu and the three for tRNAs^Ser, as well as the two isoaccepting species for tRNA^Asn, tRNA^Gly, tRNAs^Ile, tRNAs^Met, tRNAs^Thr, are shown to be encoded at different loci. Two independent methods have been used for the localization of tRNA genes on the physical map of the maize chloroplast DNA molecule: (a) cloned chloroplast DNA fragments were hybridized with radioactively-labelled total 4S RNAs, the hybridized RNAs were then eluted, and identified by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and (b) individual tRNAs were³²P-labelledin vitro and hybridized to DNA fragments generated by digestion of maize chloroplast DNA with various restriction endonucleases.