Polypyrimidine segments in Drosophila melanogaster DNA: I. Detection of a cryptic satellite containing polypyrimidine/polypurine DNA. 1975

H C Birnboim

Very long runs of pyrimidine nucleotides (polypyrimidines), previously detected in DNA from Drosophila melanogaster, have now been localized to a "cryptic" satellite. These polypyrimidines have an average length of 750 nucleotides and account for about 3% of the thymine residues in total DNA. The buoyant density of the DNA component which contains the polypyrimidines was detected by centrifuging native DNA to equilibrium in a CsCl gradient, and then assaying each fraction for its content of polypyrimidines. A peak was detected at adensity of about 1.707 gm/cm-3, distinctly heavier than the main band of DNA (1.702 gm/cm-3). The buoyant density of polypyrimidine-containing molecules was little affected by differences in the molecular weight of the starting DNA in the range 10-5-10-7 daltons (single-stranded). Thus polypyrimidines (and their complementary polypurines) appear to form all or part of a "cryptic" satellite. Polypyrimidines have been isolated and characterized with respect to composition and buoyant density. Direct nucleoside analysis of unlabeled material indicated 34.5% deoxycylidine, 65.5% thymidine. Their banding position in neutral and alkaline CsCl gradients was consistent with a single-stranded DNA polymer of this composition.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008958 Models, Molecular Models used experimentally or theoretically to study molecular shape, electronic properties, or interactions; includes analogous molecules, computer-generated graphics, and mechanical structures. Molecular Models,Model, Molecular,Molecular Model
D008970 Molecular Weight The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule. Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D011685 Purine Nucleotides Purines attached to a RIBOSE and a phosphate that can polymerize to form DNA and RNA. Nucleotides, Purine
D011742 Pyrimidine Nucleotides Pyrimidines with a RIBOSE and phosphate attached that can polymerize to form DNA and RNA. Nucleotides, Pyrimidine
D002460 Cell Line Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely. Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002499 Centrifugation, Density Gradient Separation of particles according to density by employing a gradient of varying densities. At equilibrium each particle settles in the gradient at a point equal to its density. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Centrifugations, Density Gradient,Density Gradient Centrifugation,Density Gradient Centrifugations,Gradient Centrifugation, Density,Gradient Centrifugations, Density
D002850 Chromatography, Gel Chromatography on non-ionic gels without regard to the mechanism of solute discrimination. Chromatography, Exclusion,Chromatography, Gel Permeation,Chromatography, Molecular Sieve,Gel Filtration,Gel Filtration Chromatography,Chromatography, Size Exclusion,Exclusion Chromatography,Gel Chromatography,Gel Permeation Chromatography,Molecular Sieve Chromatography,Chromatography, Gel Filtration,Exclusion Chromatography, Size,Filtration Chromatography, Gel,Filtration, Gel,Sieve Chromatography, Molecular,Size Exclusion Chromatography
D003841 Deoxycytidine A nucleoside component of DNA composed of CYTOSINE and DEOXYRIBOSE. Cytosine Deoxyribonucleoside,Cytosine Deoxyriboside,Deoxyribonucleoside, Cytosine,Deoxyriboside, Cytosine
D004247 DNA A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine). DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004331 Drosophila melanogaster A species of fruit fly frequently used in genetics because of the large size of its chromosomes. D. melanogaster,Drosophila melanogasters,melanogaster, Drosophila

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