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The 1984 collection (1) of mature 5 S and 5.8 S rRNA sequences is updated. The sequences reported here are based on actual sequence determinations and not on oligonucleotide catalogues. Some of the earlier published oligonucleotide catalogues are given in reference 2.We would like to thank those colleagues who have sent us their pre-or reprints on small ribosomal RNA sequences in 1984, and who have pointed out mistakes in our previous collection.

The nucleotide sequences of the 5 S ribosomal RNAs of the mushrooms Russula cyanoxantha, Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus edulis, and Auricularia auricula-judae were determined. The sequences fit in a universal five-helix secondary structure model for 5 S RNA. As in most other 5 S RNAs, some helical areas contain non-standard base pairs. A clustering method was used to reconstruct an evolutionary tree from 82 eukaryotic 5 S RNA sequences. It allows to make a choice between alternative systematic classifications for basidiomycetes and reveals that the fungal kingdom is highly polyphyletic.

The sequences of the 5 S rRNAs isolated from 8 ascomycete species belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Acremonium and Candida are reported. Two of the examined strains each yielded a mixture of 3 slightly different 5 S RNAs, which were individually sequenced after fractionation. A previously published sequence for Aspergillus nidulans 5 S RNA was found to contain errors. Reconstruction of an evolutionary tree based on 5 S RNA sequences showed that the 16 presently examined ascomycetes form three clusters. The same threefold partition can be observed in the secondary structure pattern, each cluster showing a slightly different variant of the general 5-helix model for 5 S rRNA (De Wachter, Chen and Vandenberghe (1982) Biochimie 64, 311-329), and different sets of secondary structure equilibrium forms in helices C and E of the aforementioned model.

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