Complete nucleotide sequence of a 16S ribosomal RNA gene from Escherichia coli.

TLDR

The complete nucleotide sequence of the 16S RNA gene from the rrnB cistron of *Escherichia coli* was determined using three rapid DNA sequencing methods. Multiple independent sequence determinations confirmed nearly all of the structure, yielding an inferred length of 1541 nucleotides consistent with prior estimates, while discrepancies with recent direct RNA sequencing likely reflect heterogeneity among cistrons, and no unaccounted nucleotides were found relative to RNase digestion products. Published in FEBS Letters 84:337–341 (1977).

Abstract

The complete nucleotide sequence of the 16S RNA gene from the rrnB cistron of Escherichia coli has been determined by using three rapid DNA sequencing methods. Nearly all of the structure has been confirmed by two to six independent sequence determinations on both DNA strands. The length of the 16S rRNA chain inferred from the DNA sequence is 1541 nucleotides, in close agreement with previous estimates. We note discrepancies between this sequence and the most recent version of it reported from direct RNA sequencing [Ehresmann, C., Stiegler, P., Carbon, P. & Ebel, J.P. (1977) FEBS Lett. 84, 337-341]. A few of these may be explained by heterogeneity among 16S rRNA sequences from different cistrons. No nucleotide sequences were found in the 16S rRNA gene that cannot be reconciled with RNase digestion products of mature 16S rRNA.