PARTIAL cDNA SEQUENCE OF CHLOROPLAST 23S RIBOSOMAL RNA FROM INDICA RICE

A partial cDNA sequence of rrn23 of indica rice (Oryza sativa L. subspecies indica variety Khao Dawk Mali 105) was obtained. The 1130 bp sequence, derived and confirmed from three independently isolated cDNA clones, covered nucleotide positions 1760 to 2887 in domains IV and V of the 23S ribosomal RNA sequence of rice. The newly characterized indica sequence revealed a 994 % sequence identity to the corresponding region of a japonica rice chloroplast DNA and a 99-0 % sequence identity to that of maize. The differences found were present in both domains which are normally regarded as having no apparent secondary structure. The newly characterized sequence data would be useful in varietal cataloging of cultivated rice.