A family of DNA sequences is reproducibly rearranged in the somatic nucleus of Tetrahymena

A small family of elements with long inverted repeats is located near sites of developmentally regulated DNA rearrangement in Tetrahymena thermophila

Extensive DNA rearrangement occurs during the development of the somatic macronucleus from the germ line micronucleus in ciliated protozoans. The micronuclear junctions and the macronuclear product of a developmentally regulated DNA rearrangement in Tetrahymena thermophila, Tlr1, have been cloned. The intrachromosomal rearrangement joins sequences that are separated by more than 13 kb in the micronucleus with the elimination of moderately repeated micronucleus-specific DNA sequences. There is a long, 825-bp, inverted repeat near the micronuclear junctions. The inverted repeat contains two different 19-bp tandem repeats. The 19-bp repeats are associated with each other and with DNA rearrangements at seven locations in the micronuclear genome. Southern blot analysis is consistent with the occurrence of the 19-bp repeats within pairs of larger repeated sequences. Another family member was isolated. The 19-mers in that clone are also in close proximity to a rearrangement junction. We propose that the 19-mers define a small family of developmentally regulated DNA rearrangements having elements with long inverted repeats near the junction sites. We discuss the possibility that transposable elements evolve by capture of molecular machinery required for essential cellular functions.

A small family of elements with long inverted repeats is located near sites of developmentally regulated DNA rearrangement in Tetrahymena thermophila

Extensive DNA rearrangement occurs during the development of the somatic macronucleus from the germ line micronucleus in ciliated protozoans. The micronuclear junctions and the macronuclear product of a developmentally regulated DNA rearrangement in Tetrahymena thermophila, Tlr1, have been cloned. The intrachromosomal rearrangement joins sequences that are separated by more than 13 kb in the micronucleus with the elimination of moderately repeated micronucleus-specific DNA sequences. There is a long, 825-bp, inverted repeat near the micronuclear junctions. The inverted repeat contains two different 19-bp tandem repeats. The 19-bp repeats are associated with each other and with DNA rearrangements at seven locations in the micronuclear genome. Southern blot analysis is consistent with the occurrence of the 19-bp repeats within pairs of larger repeated sequences. Another family member was isolated. The 19-mers in that clone are also in close proximity to a rearrangement junction. We propose that the 19-mers define a small family of developmentally regulated DNA rearrangements having elements with long inverted repeats near the junction sites. We discuss the possibility that transposable elements evolve by capture of molecular machinery required for essential cellular functions.

A method for mapping germ line sequences in Tetrahymena thermophila using the polymerase chain reaction

A method for mapping DNA sequences to specific germinal chromosomes in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila has been developed. This mapping technique (PCR mapping) utilizes the polymerase chain reaction and template DNA derived from nullisomic strains to directly assign micronuclear DNA sequences to specific micronuclear chromosomes. Using this technique, a number of unique sequences and short repetitive sequences flanked by unique sequences have been mapped to four of the five germinal chromosomes.

Constancy of adenine methylation in Tetrahymena macronuclear DNA

Macronuclear DNA from Tetrahymena was examined in order to determine whether the pattern of adenine methylation changed with the transcriptional activity of nearby genes. The DNA from growing, starved and conjugating cells was digested with six restriction enzymes which are sensitive to methylation of adenine within their recognition site. Southern blots of the restricted DNAs were probed with seven cDNA clones and one genomic clone which are homologous to polyA+ RNAs, whose transcriptional activity varies with the physiological state of the cell. One of the cDNA clones, BC11, had not been described previously. It hybridized to a 1.3 kb transcript which was present in populations of starved and conjugating, but not in growing cells. On Southern blots of genomic DNA it hybridized to a complex pattern of bands which was highly polymorphic between the DNAs of closely related strains. It was estimated that between 137 and 272 sites were assayed for changes in methylation, including at least 27 sites which were known to be methylated. No differences were seen in the size of restriction fragments from cells in different physiological states. The data suggested that the methylation pattern, which is determined during macronuclear development, does not vary with the physiological state of the cell.

Molecular analysis of N6-methyladenine patterns in Tetrahymena thermophila nuclear DNA

We have cloned two DNA fragments containing 5'-GATC-3' sites at which the adenine is methylated in the macronucleus of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Using these cloned fragments as molecular probes, we analyzed the maintenance of methylation patterns at two partially and two uniformly methylated sites. Our results suggest that a semiconservative copying model for maintenance of methylation is not sufficient to account for the methylation patterns we found during somatic growth of Tetrahymena. Although we detected hemimethylated molecules in macronuclear DNA, they were present in both replicating and nonreplicating DNA. In addition, we observed that a complex methylation pattern including partially methylated sites was maintained during vegetative growth. This required the activity of a methylase capable of recognizing and modifying sites specified by something other than hemimethylation. We suggest that a eucaryotic maintenance methylase may be capable of discriminating between potential methylation sites to ensure the inheritance of methylation patterns.

A novel DNA deletion-ligation reaction catalyzed in vitro by a developmentally controlled activity from Tetrahymena cells

Developmentally controlled genomic deletion-ligations occur during ciliate macronuclear differentiation. We have identified a novel activity in Tetrahymena cell-free extracts that efficiently catalyzes a specific set of intramolecular DNA deletion-ligation reactions. When synthetic DNA oligonucleotide substrates were used, all the deletion-ligation products resembled those formed in vivo in that they resulted from deletions between pairs of short direct repeats. The reaction is ATP-dependent, salt-sensitive, and strongly influenced by the oligonucleotide substrate sequence. The deletion-ligation activity has an apparent size of 200-500 kd, no nuclease-sensitive component, and is highly enriched in cells developing new macronuclei. The temperature inactivation profile of the activity parallels the temperature lethality profile specific for Tetrahymena cells developing new macronuclei. We suggest that this deletion-ligation activity carries out the genomic deletions in developing macronuclei in vivo.

Molecular analysis of N6-methyladenine patterns in Tetrahymena thermophila nuclear DNA

We have cloned two DNA fragments containing 5'-GATC-3' sites at which the adenine is methylated in the macronucleus of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Using these cloned fragments as molecular probes, we analyzed the maintenance of methylation patterns at two partially and two uniformly methylated sites. Our results suggest that a semiconservative copying model for maintenance of methylation is not sufficient to account for the methylation patterns we found during somatic growth of Tetrahymena. Although we detected hemimethylated molecules in macronuclear DNA, they were present in both replicating and nonreplicating DNA. In addition, we observed that a complex methylation pattern including partially methylated sites was maintained during vegetative growth. This required the activity of a methylase capable of recognizing and modifying sites specified by something other than hemimethylation. We suggest that a eucaryotic maintenance methylase may be capable of discriminating between potential methylation sites to ensure the inheritance of methylation patterns.

Cloning of Tetrahymena genomic sequences whose message abundance is increased during conjugation

A molecular and biochemical inquiry into protein regulation during Tetrahymena thermophila conjugation was carried out in two ways: a two-dimensional gel analysis of newly translated proteins and the molecular cloning of genes whose message abundance is increased. The two-dimensional gel analysis indicated that the synthesis of 32 predominantly basic proteins was stimulated in conjugating cells. The induction of these proteins could not be correlated with length of starvation or with mating type. The transcription pattern and molecular organization of three clones of T. thermophila genomic DNA, selected on the basis of differential hybridization to conjugating or control cell RNA, were investigated. Two of the clones, which were homologous to transcripts detected in conjugating cells, showed no rearrangements between micro- and macronuclear DNA. A third clone was divided into three segments. One segment was homologous to sequences limited to the micronucleus. A second segment hybridized to a large number of restriction fragments of micronuclear DNA digested with HindIII but to only two fragments of macronuclear DNA. A third segment, which was complementary to one transcript in conjugating cells and to two different transcripts in control cells, hybridized to two fragments in micronuclear DNA and one fragment in macronuclear DNA.

Transformation of Tetrahymena thermophila with hypermethylated rRNA genes

The extrachromosomal rRNA genes (rDNA) of Tetrahymena thermophila contain 0.4% N6-methyladenine. C3 strain rDNA was isolated, hypermethylated in vitro, and microinjected into B strain host cells. Clonal cell lines were established, and transformants were selected on the basis of resistance to paromomycin, conferred by the injected rDNA. The effects of methylation by three enzymes which methylate the sequence 5'-NAT-3', the dam, EcoRI, and ClaI methylases, were tested. Hypermethylation of the injected rDNA had no effect on transformation efficiency relative to mock-methylated controls. The injected C3 strain rDNA efficiently replaced host rDNA as the major constituent of the population of rDNA molecules. Hypermethylation of the injected DNA was not maintained through 20 to 25 cell generations.

Transformation of Tetrahymena thermophila with hypermethylated rRNA genes

The extrachromosomal rRNA genes (rDNA) of Tetrahymena thermophila contain 0.4% N6-methyladenine. C3 strain rDNA was isolated, hypermethylated in vitro, and microinjected into B strain host cells. Clonal cell lines were established, and transformants were selected on the basis of resistance to paromomycin, conferred by the injected rDNA. The effects of methylation by three enzymes which methylate the sequence 5'-NAT-3', the dam, EcoRI, and ClaI methylases, were tested. Hypermethylation of the injected rDNA had no effect on transformation efficiency relative to mock-methylated controls. The injected C3 strain rDNA efficiently replaced host rDNA as the major constituent of the population of rDNA molecules. Hypermethylation of the injected DNA was not maintained through 20 to 25 cell generations.

A germ line specific DNA sequence is transcribed in Tetrahymena

In the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena 10-20% of the DNA sequences are micronucleus (germ line) specific. Six members of a family of repeated mic-specific DNA sequences are homologous to a 1.5-kb poly(A)+ RNA. The transcript is present in mature cells starved in 10 or 60 mM Tris, in starved immature cells, and in stationary cells. RNA from log-phase and heat-shocked cells does not have detectable levels of the transcript. These data indicate that at least one germ line limited DNA sequence is transcribed in the micronucleus of Tetrahymena.