SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A CERVID DNA REPEAT FAMILY

The (G + C) distribution and the presence and amounts of repetitive se quence families in the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been examined. The distribution ranges from 20 to 70% (G + C) and sho ws four distinct repeat families. A 0.7-kb family, DII, corresponds to satellite II in domestic bovids-ox, sheep, and goat-and was singled o ut for detailed characterization. DII has a prototypic repeat of 67% ( G + C), consists of 25,000 tandem copies, and contributes 1.7% to the genomic DNA. Sequencing and electrophoretic analysis indicate a repeat length of 691 bp. These characteristics are similar to those of the b ovid satellite II families as well as to those of other cervids that w e have examined. The intraspecific sequence divergence within this fam ily has a variance of only 2.5 +/- 0.3%.