Species-specific homogeneity of the primate Alu family of repeated DNA sequences

Abstract

We have determined the base sequence of several cloned Alu family members from the DNAs of a new world monkey (owl monkey) and a prosimian (galago). The three owl monkey Alu family members reported here belong to a single 300 base pair consensus sequence tfiich closely resembles the human Alu family consensus. The galago Alu family members can best be represented as belonging to either of two related but distinct consensus sequences. Che of the two galago Alu family subgroups (Type I) more accurately resembles the human consensus sequence than does the other subgroup (Type II). In this work we compare base sequences of human and galago Type I Alu family members. There are several examples of species-specific differences between the human and Type I galago sequences indicating that the Alu family members are effectively homogenized within a species. © 1983 IRL Press limited.