The corrected nucleotide sequences of 5 S RNAs from six angiosperms

The corrected nucleotide sequences of the cytoplasmic 5 S ribosomal RNAs of 6 angiosperms are reported. The previously reported sequences, reconstructed from oligonucleotide catalogs, had been suspected for some time to contain errors. The corrected sequences fit in a universal 5‐helix model for 5 S RNA secondary structure. The model involves the existence of a dynamic equilibrium between slightly different base‐pairing schemes in two areas of the structure. Reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree from over 200 known 5 S RNA sequences yields a general picture of biological evolution. It confirms the tripartite descent of living species — eubacteria, archaebacteria, eukaryotes — and the endosymbiotic origin of plant mitochondria and chloroplasts.