Nucleotide sequence of nuclear tRNA(Gly) genes and tRNA(Gly) pseudogenes from yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus): expression of the tRNA(Gly) genes in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract

A nuclear DNA fragment (7.8 kb) from yellow lupin (L. luteus) was sequenced and shown to contain tRNA(Gly) (GGC) genes and tRNAGly (GGC) pseudogenes organized in three tandemly repeated units: of 2565 bp and 2564 bp, and one, truncated from its 3' end, of 1212 bp. Each unit contains an identical pair of a tRNA(Gly) gene and a pseudogene, both having the same polarity. The nucleotide sequence of the gene appears colinear to L. luteus cytoplasmic tRNA(Gly) (GGC) primary structure. All three genes are efficiently transcribed in HeLa-cell nuclear extract giving two primary transcripts. The main, longer primary transcripts have each an extremely long 3' trailer of about 100 nucleotides, the structure of which is specific only for tRNAGly genes and pseudogenes (80% homology) of the studied tandem (but not for other tRNA(Gly) genes of the yellow lupin genome) as it has been shown by Southern hybridization. This distinctive feature allowed to isolate putative tRNAGly precursor(s) encoded by at least one of the three tRNA(Gly) (GGC) genes from L. luteus seedlings.