Size and structure of yeast chromosomal DNA.

Electron microscopic analysis indicates that yeast nuclear DNA can be isolated as linear molecules ranging in size from 50 mum (1.2 x 10(8) daltons) to 355 mum (8.4 x 10(8) daltons). Analysis indicates the data is consistent with the hypothesis that each yeast chromosome contains a single, linear DNA duplex. Mitochondrial DNA molecules have a contour length of 21 +/- 2 mum and are mostly linear.