Sequence homology of nuclear and mitochondrial DNAs of different yeasts

Abstract

1. Both nuclear and mtDNA of four different yeasts show approximately 10% homology as measured by DNA · DNA filter hybridization. These homologous sequences are mainly attributable to the ribosomal cistrons. 2. Melting curve analysis shows that the heterologous mitochondrial DNA · DNA hybrids contain several times more mismatching than the nuclear DNA · DNA hybrids. 3. DNA · rRNA hybridization shows that the sequences of the ribosomal cistrons in both the nuclear and the mitochondrial genome have been conserved during evolution. 4. However, melting curve analysis of the DNA · rRNA hybrids shows that the sequence of the nuclear ribosomal cistrons have undergone considerably fewer nucleotide substitutions than their mitochondrial counterparts. 5. The results suggest that the mitochondrial ribosomal cistrons have evolved more rapidly than the nuclear cistrons. This is discussed in the light of theories on the rate of molecular evolution.