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1. Electron micrographs of the linear mtDNA from Tetrahymena pyriformis strain GL show linear molecules with a duplex 'eye' of variable size in the middle. This indicates that replication of this DNA starts near the middle of the molecule and proceeds bidirectionally to the ends, as previously shown for the mtDNA of strain ST (Arnberg, A.C., Van Bruggen, E.F.J., Clegg, R.A., Upholt, W.B. and Borst, P. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 361, 266-276). The mtDNAs of these two strains have little base sequence homology beyond the ribosomal RNA cistron (Goldbach, R.W., Bollen-De Boer, J.E., Van Bruggen, E.F.J. and Borst, P. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 521, 187-197). 2. Electron micrographs of mtDNA from strain ST, spread under non-denaturing conditions, contain only molecules with fully duplex ends. mtDNA spread under conditions of early denaturation contains duplex loops on one end (40% of all molecules) or both ends (37%). The loops are stable to partial denaturation and vary in size from 0.15 to approximately 1.0 micron, most loops measuring 0.25--0.40 micron. No loops are formed with single-stranded DNA under analogous conditions and we conclude from this result that loop formation is based on the presence of straight, rather than inverted, duplications near the ends. 3. When full-length 3H-labelled mtDNA from strain ST, 32P-labelled at the 5'-termini with T4 polynucleotide kinase, was sedimented in alkaline sucrose gradients, greater than 70% of the 3H and less than 30% of the 32P cosedimented with full-length molecules; the remaining 32P sedimented heterogeneously and predominantly with the DNA less than 10% the size of intact single strands. Brief incubations of full-length mtDNA with DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli and labelled dNTPs at 15 degrees C did not lead to preferential labelling of terminal EcoRI fragments of the DNA. From these results we infer that the DNA contains nicks or gaps near the termini and that these are not bordered by free 3'-OH groups. 4. A model is presented in which straight sequence repetitions at the termini of Tetrahymena pyriformis mtDNA are involved in the later stages of replication. This model can also account for the pronounced terminal heterogeneity previously observed in this DNA.

We have analysed the structure of the mtDNAs of six amicronucleate Tetrahymena pyriformis strains, belonging to at least four phenosets, as defined by Borden et al. (Borden, D., Whitt, G.S. and Nanney, D.L. (1973) J. Protozool. 20, 693--700). 2. The mtDNAs of all strains are linear, but they differ in size, in their fragmentation by endonuclease EcoRI and in overall sequence; less than 20% sequence homology was found by DNA-DNA hybridization in all combinations tested, except for the mtDNAs from strains T and ST which are indistinguishable. 3. In spite of these marked sequence differences the mtDNAs of all strains share two structural peculiarities: ragged (gnawed) duplex ends and a duplication-inversion, which varies in length between 0.3 and 1.2 micrometer, depending on the strain. In four strains the duplication-inversion is terminal, allowing formation of single-stranded DNA circles with a duplex tail; in two strains it is subterminal. 4. The ragged ends and sub-terminal position of the duplication-inversion in some of the Tetrahymena mtDNAs do not fit any of the current models for the replication of linear mtDNAs.

1. We have constructed a physical map of the mtDNA of Tetrahymena pyriformis strain ST using the restriction endonucleases EcoRI, PstI, SacI, HindIII and HhaI. 2. Hybridization of mitochondrial 21 S and 14 S ribosomal RNA to restriction fragments of strain ST mtDNA shows that this DNA contains two 21-S and only one 14-S ribosomal RNA genes. By S1 nuclease treatment of briefly renatured single-stranded DNA the terminal duplication-inversion previously detected in this DNA (Arnberg et al. (1975) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 383, 359--369) has been isolated and shown to contain both 21-S ribosomal RNA genes. 14 S ribosomal RNA hybridizes to a region in the central part of the DNA, about 8000 nucleotides or 20% of the total DNA length apart from the nearest 21 S ribosomal RNA gene. 3. We have confirmed this position of the three ribosomal RNA genes by electron microscopical analysis of DNA . RNA hybrid molecules and R-loop molecules. 4. Hybridization of 21 S ribosomal RNA with duplex mtDNA digested either with phage lambda-induced exonuclease or exonuclease III of Escherichia coli, shows that the 21-S ribosomal RNA genes are located on the 5'-ends of each DNA strand. Electron microscopy of denaturated mtDNA hybridized with a mixture of 14-S and 21-S ribosomal RNAs show that the 14 S ribosomal RNA gene has the same polarity as the nearest 21 S ribosomal RNA gene. 5. Tetrahymena mtDNA is (after Saccharomyces mtDNA) the second mtDNA in which the two ribosomal RNA cistrons are far apart and the first mtDNA in which one of the ribosomal RNA cistrons is duplicated.

1. We have studied denatured Tetrahymena mtDNA by electron microscopy using the formamide technique. 2. After denaturation all DNA is single stranded, but within a few minutes single-stranded circles with a duplex tail are formed. 3. The duplex tail is 1.3 mum long, i.e. 8 percent of the length of native mtDNA, and it often contains a small single-stranded eye. 4. Digestion of the duplex DNA with exonuclease III of Escherichia coli abolishes its ability to form circles and duplex tails after denaturation. 5. Renaturation of denatured mtDNA leads to the formation of duplex circles with single-stranded section and/or duplex tails. In addition, a minority of duplex circles without apparent tails is formed, but these circles contain a small ambiguous section. 6. We conclude that this mtDNA contains a long terminal duplication-inversion, that could be involved in the replication of this linear mtDNA.

1. Isolated mtDNA from Tetrahymena pyriformis strain GL is a linear duplex molecule with an average molecular weight of 32.6 - 10(6) and without internal gaps or breaks. Denaturation of this DNA results in single strands with a duplex hairpin at one end. The length of this hairpin varies between 0 and 5 micrometer within one preparation. 2. Uder renaturation conditions the single strands with hairpins are able to circularize in two ways, depending on the length of the hairpin. Circularization is also observed after partial digestion with exonuclease III of native strain GL mtDNA. 3. All these data fit a model (see Fig.2) in which the DNA is heterogeneous in length at both ends. At the left end a 10-micrometer duplication-inversion is present; part of this duplication-inversion is complementary to a region at the right end of the molecule. 4. The analogy between the structural peculiarities of strain GL mtDNA and of some linear viral DNAs is stressed.

1. We have done cross-hybridizations between the mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs and DNAs from strains ST and PP of Tetrahymena pyriformis. DNA . ribosomal RNA hybrid formation can be completely prevented by an excess of the heterologous ribosomal RNA and the heterologous hybrids melt 6 degrees C below the homologous hybrids. This shows that the ribosomal RNA cistrons can account for the 5% cross-hybridization previously observed between the mtDNAs of strains PP and ST (Goldbach et al. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 477, 37--50). 2. By electron microscopy of DNA . ribosomal RNA hybrids we have determined the position of the ribosomal RNA cistrons on the mtDNA of strain GL, a mtDNA which we have shown to contain a sub-terminal 1 micron duplication-inversion and a terminal palindrome at one end which varies in length from 0 to 5 micron and which includes the 1 micron duplication-inversion (Arnberg et al. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 477, 51--69). The 21 S ribosomal RNA cistron overlaps the 1 micron duplication-inversion and as a result two or three cistrons are present, depending on the size of the terminal palindrome. Only one 14 S ribosomal RNA cistron is found, located about 10 000 base pairs away from the nearest 21 S cistron is found, located about 10 000 base pairs away from the nearest 21 S cistron and with the same polarity as this cistron. 3. We conclude from these results and those in the preceding paper that the sequence of the ribosomal RNAs and the position of the ribosomal RNA genes in the mtDNA is strongly conserved in Tetrahymena. Possible reasons for the duplication of 21-S ribosomal RNA genes and the terminal heterogeneity of Tetrahymena mtDNA are discussed.