CHARACTERIZATION OF INTERGENIC SPACERS IN 2 RRN OPERONS OF ENTEROCOCCUS-HIRAE ATCC-9790

Two DNA restriction enzyme fragments coding for the 3' termini of 16S rRNA, the 5' termini of 23S rRNA, and the intergenic spaces between th em in Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 were cloned and sequenced. The inte rgenic space of one of these genes contains a tRNA(Ala) sequence, wher eas the other does not. Nevertheless, the intergenic spaces contain se veral regions that exhibit high levels of sequence homology and are ca pable of forming structures with similar base pairs. An analysis of So uthern blots of chromosomal DNA cut with one and two restriction enzym es indicated that E. hirae has a total of six rrn operons.