tau, a repeated DNA sequence in yeast [Saccharomyces cerevisiae]

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 81; no. 10; pp. 2965 - 2969
• Main Authors: Chisholm, George E., Genbauffe, Francis S., Cooper, Terrance G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01.05.1984; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Alleles; Base Composition; Biological Evolution; DNA; DNA Restriction Enzymes; DNA, Fungal - genetics; Genes, Fungal; Genetic transposition; Genomics; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Nucleotide sequences; Nucleotides; Plasmids; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Transfer RNA; Transposons; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.81.10.2965

We have found a 371-base-pair (bp) repeated DNA element, tau, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ends of tau are composed of a 5-bp inverted repeat, similar in sequence to those reported for the Ty, sigma, copia, and spleen necrosis virus elements. These inverted repeats are flanked by 5-bp direct repeats of a target sequence that occurs only once in an allele that lacks the tau element. This overall structure is characteristic of transposable elements. Like sigma, tau elements have been found (in both orientations) closely associated with tRNA genes (409 and 198 bp from the 5′end, respectively). It is noteworthy that one representative of tau was isolated in a concentric insertion of tau, delta, and sigma.