Buoyant density and hybridization analysis of human DNA sequences, including three satellite DNAs

Total human DNA was fractionated from the three types of Cs₂SO₄ gradient used to prepare satellites I, II and III. Three satellite DNAs were found: satellite I with a mean buoyant density of 1.688 g/ml comprising about 1.3% of the total, satellite II with a mean buoyant of 1.696 g/ml comprising about 1% of the total and satellite III with a mean buoyant density of 1.699 g/ml comprising about 2.2% of the total. The buoyant densities of these satellites after purification were 1.686, 1.694 and 1.697 g/ml, respectively. A preparation with the attributes of satellite IV was isolated from the shoulder region of a satellite III preparative gradient. In situ hybridization using complementary RNA showed that the three satellites were located predominantly on chromosomes 9, Y, 15 and 1. Satellite II also showed marked hybridization to chromosome 16. Satellites I and III and II and III cross-hybridized to each other but satellites I and II did not. On the basis of our hybridization data, we suggest that some of the same sequences which comprise satellite III also comprise satellites I and II.