Transmission of integrated sea urchin histone genes by nuclear transplantation in Xenopus laevis.

Sea urchin histone genes contained in a recombinant plasmid pSp102 were microinjected into the cytoplasm of fertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis. By the late blastula stage, plasmid DNA sequences were detected comigrating with the high molecular weight cellular DNA (greater than 48 kilobases). Analysis of the DNA from injected embryos digested with various restriction endonuclease demonstrated that the injected DNA was integrated into the frog genome. Clones of embryos containing the pSp102 DNA sequences were produced by means of nuclear transplantation. Individuals of the same clone contain the pSp102 sequences integrated into similar chromosomal locations. These sites vary between different clones.