The 5S rRNA genes in Macaca fascicularis are organized in two large tandem repeats

摘要

The 5S rRNA genes in Macaca fascicularis are organized in tandem repeats which are unusually large and complex. The tandem repeats consist of a 7.3 kb DNA fragment with two 5S rRNA genes linked to a 4.3 kb fragment with one gene. The total number of genes in the repeats is 50-100 per haploid genome. The 5S rDNA has an external promoter, the D box, in the same position relative to transcription start as the human gene but is transcribed less efficiently than a human 5S rRNA gene in a HeLa cell extract.