Nucleic acid splicing events occur frequently during macronuclear development in the protozoan Oxytricha nova and involve the elimination of unique DNA

Abstract

During its life cycle, the hypotrichous ciliated protozoan Oxytricha nova transforms a copy of its chromosomal micronucleus into a transcriptionally active macronucleus which contains exclusively linear, gene-sized DNA molecules with an average size of about 2.2 kilobase pairs (kbp). The micronuclear precursors of two macronuclear DNA molecules have been examined. Each was found to contain at least five blocks of DNA sequences that are absent in the mature macronuclear DNA molecule. These blocks of sequences, referred to as internal eliminated sequences (IESs), must be removed by a nucleic acid breakage and joining process during development. The data obtained to date indicate that IESs are common and suggest that greater than 60,000 IES removal events occur during macronuclear development. Additional analyses indicate that IESs represent a portion of the unique micronuclear DNA sequences known to be eliminated during development. Comparisons of the sequences of IESs revealed common organizational features and some limited primary sequence homologies that suggest models for their developmental excision.