Sequence organization and putative regulatory elements in the 5S rRNA genes of two higher plants (Vigna radiata and Matthiola incana).

The tandemly arranged and clustered highly repeated 5S rRNA genes are investigated for two plants belonging to different higher plant families: Matthiola incana (Brassicaceae, Dilleniidae, Rosidae; 3600 5S rRNA genes/n) shows a homogeneous repeat size of 510 bp, whereas Vigna radiata (mung bean, former Phaseolus aureus, Fabaceae, Rosidae; approx. 4300 5S rRNA genes) has a repeat size of 215 bp. The mung-bean 5S rRNA coding region starts 5' with AGG and ends with CCT; Matthiola starts with GGG and ends with CCC. Striking is the strict occurrence of a 'TATA' box starting at nucleotide-28 similar to Neurospora crassa 5S rRNA genes. The 3' end is followed by CTTTT or GTTT stretches present in different numbers in the non-transcribed spacer suggesting a function in termination.