FIRST ISOLATION OF TANDEMLY REPEATED DNA-SEQUENCES IN NEW-WORLD VULTURES AND PHYLOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS

A highly repeated DNA sequence composed of closely related subunits th at ranged from 171 to 176 base pairs has been cloned and characterized in the king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa). Related sequences were also isolated in the black vulture (Coragyps atratus). This new family of a vian repetitive DNA elements is here termed the ''HaeIII family.'' Gen omic DNAs from a number of avian species were probed with one of the k ing vulture restriction fragments. In the cathartids, the hybridizatio n patterns showed no individual or sexual variations. A strong HaeIII ladder was present in the two aforementioned species as well as in the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), but in the black vulture the bands of the ladder alternated in intensity. Weaker hybridization signals were obtained in two ciconids, the jabiru stork (Jabiru mycteria) and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). The HaeIII repeat was not detected in a ccipitrid birds of prey, a Polyborinae falconid, pelecanids, and psitt acids.