The site at which transcription of the ribosomal RNA operon in yeast is terminated was precisely localized. First, the exact position of the 3' end of the 26S rRNA gene was mapped on the rDNA on the basis of RNA- and DNA sequence data. Next, the 3' terminus of the primary transcript, 37S precursor rRNA, was established by hybridization experiments and sequence analysis. 37S pre-rRNA appears to be just 7 nucleotides longer at its 3' end than 26S rRNA. The non-coding strand around the termination site is extremely T-rich: 15 out of 18 nucleotides are T-residues. An extensive dyad symmetry is present in the sequence downstream from the termination site; a possible role of this structure in the regulation of transcription termination is discussed. The 3'-terminal 110 nucleotides of yeast 26S rRNA have approx. 50% and 60% homology with the corresponding regions of E. coli 23S rRNA and Xenopus laevis 28S rRNA, respectively.

Endgroup analysis of 37S ribosomal precursor RNA from Saccharomyces carlsbergensis has revealed that the major 5' endgroup is ppA-Up, with a molar yield of 0.8. This shows that most, if not all, 37S RNA molecules have preserved a transcriptional initiation sequence. Analysis of the 3' terminus of 37S RNA has shown the presence of a uridine rich oligonucleotide, tentatively identified as U6-8-A-NOH. This long stretch of uridines at the 3' end of 37S RNA may represent a transcriptional termination site. The two sets of data on the terminal sequences suggest that 37S ribosomal precursor RNA, if not already spliced, is a primary transcription product. Since the 3' terminus of 26S rRNA, U-U-U-G-UOH., appears to be clearly different from the 3' end of 37S RNA, we conclude that 37S ribosomal precursor RNA contains additional nucleotides 3'-distal to the 26S rRNA sequence.

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