Distribution of simple repetitive (TG/CA)n and (CT/AG)n sequences in human and rodent genomes

Abstract

Sixteen million nucleotide sequence of genome of various organisms have been analysed to detect and study the extent of occurrence of simple repetitive sequences. Two sequence motifs (TG/CA)n and (CT/AG)n capable of adopting unusual DNA structures, left handed Z-conformation and triple-helical conformation respectively, are found to be abundant in rodent and human genomes, but almost completely absent in bacterial genome. (TG/CA)n and (CT/AG)n sequences are present mostly in the intron or 5′/3′ flanking regions of the genes. The presence of such repeat motifs in genomic sequence of higher eukaryotes has been correlated with their possible functional significance in nucleosome organization, recombination and gene expression.