Characterization of a novel plasmid DNA found in mitochondria of N. crassa.

We have identified a plasmid DNA that is found within mitochondria of wild-type N. crassa strain Mauriceville-1c (FGSC #2225), but that shows no detectable sequence homology with mitochondrial DNA. The plasmid DNA consists of an oligomeric series of circular molecules of monomer length 3.6 kb. There are two unusual clusters of restriction enzyme sites, one consisting of six Eco RI sites in a 1 kb region, and the other of five or more Pst I sites in a 0.4 kb region. RNA gel transfer hybridization experiments show a major transcript 3.3 to 3.4 kb long, close to the monomer length of the plasmid. The latter finding implies that the plasmid DNA contains specific sites for the initiation and termination of transcription.