Nucleoli are formed on the basis of ribosomal genes coding for RNAs of ribosomal particles, but also include a great variety of other DNA regions. In this article, we discuss the characteristics of ribosomal DNA: the structure of the rDNA locus, complex organization and functions of the intergenic spacer, multiplicity of gene copies in one cell, selective silencing of genes and whole gene clusters, relation to components of nucleolar ultrastructure, specific problems associated with replication. We also review current data on the role of non-ribosomal DNA in the organization and function of nucleoli. Finally, we discuss probable causes preventing efficient visualization of DNA in nucleoli.

1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Prague Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1994 Oct;214(2):465-72 PubMed

Plant J. 1995 Nov;8(5):683-92 PubMed

Nat Genet. 2007 Mar;39(3):311-8 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2007 Aug 17;27(4):585-95 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 1995 May;129(3):561-75 PubMed

Int Rev Cytol. 2006;255:177-235 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 May;81(10):3123-7 PubMed

J Mol Biol. 1984 Mar 25;174(1):141-62 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2000 Jan 1;14(1):1-10 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jul;39(12 ):4949-60 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2014 Feb 1;28(3):220-30 PubMed

Mol Biol Evol. 1989 Jul;6(4):413-23 PubMed

PLoS Genet. 2013;9(9):e1003786 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2001 May 28;153(5):1097-110 PubMed

Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 1971;11:351-89 PubMed

Cytogenet Genome Res. 2012;136(2):89-96 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2012 Jan 27;45(2):147-57 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Jul;7(7):2521-9 PubMed

Cell. 1979 Mar;16(3):565-73 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1993 Oct;13(10):6600-13 PubMed

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Mar-Apr;1829(3-4):306-17 PubMed

Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1978;42 Pt 2:1179-83 PubMed

Cell. 1988 Nov 18;55(4):637-43 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1999 Oct;112 ( Pt 19):3259-68 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 1996 Apr;133(2):225-34 PubMed

Cell Tissue Res. 1983;234(3):707-11 PubMed

Cell. 1986 Dec 26;47(6):913-20 PubMed

Nature. 1986 Aug 14-20;322(6080):652-6 PubMed

Chromosoma. 1988;96(6):397-410 PubMed

EMBO J. 2008 Apr 23;27(8):1255-65 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1985 Jun;5(6):1287-94 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2008 May 23;30(4):486-97 PubMed

EMBO Rep. 2010 Jan;11(1):52-8 PubMed

Cell. 1977 Feb;10(2):193-212 PubMed

Genome Res. 2008 Jan;18(1):13-8 PubMed

Bioessays. 1990 Jan;12(1):14-21 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2010 Oct 15;24(20):2264-9 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2002 May 27;157(5):743-8 PubMed

Gene. 1986;46(2-3):227-35 PubMed

Biochem Soc Trans. 2008 Aug;36(Pt 4):619-24 PubMed

PLoS One. 2008 Mar 26;3(3):e1843 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1986 Aug 11;14(15):6041-51 PubMed

Cytometry. 1994 Aug 1;16(4):313-23 PubMed

Nat Methods. 2008 Dec;5(12):1031-7 PubMed

Histochem Cell Biol. 2000 Mar;113(3):181-7 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1997 Nov 15;25(22):4505-12 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Jul 24;9(14):3219-33 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2008 Jun;28(11):3713-28 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2001 May 14;153(4):773-84 PubMed

Eur J Histochem. 2014 Jan 24;58(1):2307 PubMed

Neuroscience. 2006 Jun 30;140(2):453-62 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Nov 19;110(47):E4465-73 PubMed

Mol Gen Genet. 1984;194(3):485-8 PubMed

G3 (Bethesda). 2012 Dec;2(12):1521-8 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 2002 Aug 15;115(Pt 16):3297-307 PubMed

Cell Cycle. 2011 Mar 15;10(6):863-5 PubMed

Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2006 Jun;18(3):325-34 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 2001 Dec;114(Pt 23):4207-17 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2011 Jan 24;192(2):277-93 PubMed

Cell. 1986 Jun 20;45(6):837-46 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1991 Jun;99 ( Pt 2):255-63 PubMed

Chromosoma. 2016 Jun;125(3):361-71 PubMed

Am J Hum Genet. 1985 Mar;37(2):311-25 PubMed

Cell Cycle. 2012 Jun 1;11(11):2059-62 PubMed

Cell. 1989 Jun 2;57(5):753-61 PubMed

J Biol Chem. 2013 Sep 6;288(36):26067-77 PubMed

EMBO J. 2001 Sep 3;20(17):4892-900 PubMed

Hum Genet. 1980 Feb;53(2):131-43 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 2006 May 1;119(Pt 9):1746-59 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Nov;82(22):7666-70 PubMed

Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 1995;50:25-66 PubMed

J Histochem Cytochem. 2006 Feb;54(2):131-45 PubMed

Cancer Res. 2009 Dec 1;69(23):9096-104 PubMed

J Microsc. 1990 Jan;157(Pt 1):83-9 PubMed

Histochem Cell Biol. 2008 Jan;129(1):13-31 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Jul 10;15(13):5323-38 PubMed

Plant Mol Biol. 1987 Sep;9(5):509-20 PubMed

Mol Biol Evol. 1987 Nov;4(6):594-601 PubMed

J Cell Biochem. 2005 Feb 15;94(3):554-65 PubMed

Cell. 2003 Aug 8;114(3):385-94 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1995 Nov;108 ( Pt 11):3427-41 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2013 Apr 25;50(2):236-49 PubMed

Epigenomics. 2015;7(3):363-78 PubMed

Yeast. 2009 Feb;26(2):125-38 PubMed

J Cell Physiol. 2015 Feb;230(2):427-39 PubMed

Int Rev Cytol. 1985;94:151-76 PubMed

Chromosoma. 2003 Mar;111(6):399-407 PubMed

Trends Biochem Sci. 1997 Dec;22(12 ):473-7 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1994 Jul 11;22(13):2651-7 PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1991 Mar;193(1):78-86 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Nov;69(11):3394-8 PubMed

Biochem Soc Symp. 2006;(73):141-54 PubMed

Science. 1997 Sep 5;277(5331):1518-23 PubMed

Folia Biol (Praha). 2006;52(3):59-70 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2002 Oct 1;16(19):2479-84 PubMed

Nat Genet. 2002 Nov;32(3):393-6 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2007 Jun 18;177(6):957-67 PubMed

Science. 2003 Nov 21;302(5649):1399-401 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2004 Sep 13;166(6):787-800 PubMed

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2005 Sep;62(18):2067-79 PubMed

Biol Cell. 1989;65(1):79-82 PubMed

Chromosoma. 2009 Feb;118(1):11-23 PubMed

Cell. 1985 Dec;43(3 Pt 2):801-10 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 2015 May 26;43(10):5208-20 PubMed

Mol Biol Cell. 2001 Nov;12(11):3563-72 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2007 Feb;27(3):937-48 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2008 May;28(10):3114-26 PubMed

Chromosoma. 1993 Sep;102(8):519-25 PubMed

Eur J Histochem. 2006 Apr-Jun;50(2):119-24 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1986 Oct 10;14(19):7581-95 PubMed

Mol Biol Cell. 2013 Sep;24(18):2943-53 PubMed

J Struct Biol. 2014 Dec;188(3):259-66 PubMed

Elife. 2014 May 27;3:e01641 PubMed

Annu Rev Genet. 1975;9:245-84 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 1996 Apr;133(2):235-46 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Aug;6(8):2766-73 PubMed

J Mol Biol. 1976 Aug 25;105(4):507-16 PubMed

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Nov;1783(11):2116-23 PubMed

Hum Genet. 1986 Jul;73(3):193-8 PubMed

Biochem Soc Trans. 2006 Dec;34(Pt 6):1079-81 PubMed

F1000Prime Rep. 2015 Apr 02;7:48 PubMed

Trends Cell Biol. 2003 Oct;13(10):517-25 PubMed

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2014 Feb;21(2):198-206 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1990 Aug 25;18(16):4727-36 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2008 Oct 24;32(2):232-46 PubMed

Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2008;24:131-57 PubMed

Methods Mol Biol. 2014;1094:319-28 PubMed

Biochem J. 1987 Sep 1;246(2):519-27 PubMed

G3 (Bethesda). 2014 Feb 19;4(2):243-54 PubMed

EMBO Rep. 2011 Mar;12 (3):231-7 PubMed

Epigenetics Chromatin. 2010 Nov 08;3(1):19 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2004 Jan 30;13(2):291-8 PubMed

Annu Rev Genet. 2006;40:107-38 PubMed

J Struct Biol. 2007 Oct;160(1):49-56 PubMed

Cell Prolif. 2007 Jun;40(3):422-30 PubMed

Hum Genet. 1976 Dec 29;35(1):27-34 PubMed

Hum Genet. 1989 Jan;81(2):137-43 PubMed

J Struct Biol. 1996 Mar-Apr;116(2):253-63 PubMed

Gene. 1989 Dec 7;84(1):193-6 PubMed

Mol Biol Cell. 2000 Aug;11(8):2705-17 PubMed

Oncogene. 2009 Apr 23;28(16):1833-42 PubMed

Genome Res. 2010 May;20(5):614-22 PubMed

PLoS Genet. 2015 May 29;11(5):e1005246 PubMed

Histol Histopathol. 2008 Oct;23 (10 ):1291-8 PubMed

Genome Res. 2007 Aug;17(8):1146-60 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2006 May 5;22(3):351-61 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2002 Jan;22(2):657-68 PubMed

Science. 1969 May 23;164(3882):955-7 PubMed

Genomics. 1995 May 20;27(2):320-8 PubMed

Biol Cell. 1985;54(2):123-33 PubMed

Nucleus. 2012 Jul 1;3(4):315-9 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2005 Mar;7(3):303-10 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 2004 Aug 1;117(Pt 17):3935-45 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1991 Sep;100 ( Pt 1):219-26 PubMed

Q Rev Biol. 1995 Sep;70(3):297-320 PubMed

EMBO J. 1998 Dec 15;17 (24):7373-81 PubMed

Oxf Surv Eukaryot Genes. 1985;2:207-50 PubMed

Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2014;307:15-26 PubMed

Biochem Soc Trans. 2005 Dec;33(Pt 6):1441-3 PubMed

Genes Dev. 1993 Aug;7(8):1609-19 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1988 Nov;8(11):4927-35 PubMed

Cell. 1986 May 9;45(3):431-43 PubMed

Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Jun;83(3):332-43 PubMed

Epigenetics. 2008 Sep;3(5):243-5 PubMed

Trends Genet. 2011 Apr;27(4):149-56 PubMed

Genomics. 1993 Jan;15(1):123-32 PubMed

EMBO J. 2006 Dec 13;25(24):5735-41 PubMed

Chromosoma. 1991 Jul;100(6):395-409 PubMed

FEBS Lett. 2000 Feb 25;468(2-3):109-14 PubMed

J Biol Chem. 1996 Feb 2;271(5):2608-14 PubMed

J Mol Biol. 1985 May 25;183(2):213-23 PubMed

Cell. 2007 May 18;129(4):693-706 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1990 Sep;10 (9):4816-25 PubMed

Nat Rev Genet. 2001 Apr;2(4):292-301 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2005 Mar;7(3):295-302 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2005 Mar;7(3):311-8 PubMed

Genetika. 1993 Oct;29(10):1750-4 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1993 Apr;104 ( Pt 4):1199-205 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Apr;9(4):1513-25 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 2014 May;42(9):5505-17 PubMed

Cell. 2013 Mar 28;153(1):178-92 PubMed

J Struct Biol. 2008 Jul;163(1):40-4 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 2011 Aug 15;124(Pt 16):2743-52 PubMed

EMBO J. 2001 Jun 1;20(11):2867-74 PubMed

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007 Jan;64(1):29-49 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 2013 May 1;41(10):5251-62 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 1995 Jun;129(5):1181-93 PubMed

J Mol Biol. 1990 Mar 5;212(1):27-35 PubMed

Gene. 2015 Nov 10;572(2):237-42 PubMed

Genome Res. 2013 Dec;23(12):2003-12 PubMed

Science. 2010 Feb 5;327(5966):693-6 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 May 22;109 (21):8161-6 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Jan;6(1):227-35 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2005 Aug;25(15):6789-97 PubMed

Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch. 1983;97(1):15-32 PubMed

Curr Biol. 2005 Aug 9;15(15):1434-8 PubMed

J Struct Biol. 1995 Jan-Feb;114(1):1-22 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 1992 Mar;116(5):1095-110 PubMed

EMBO J. 1988 May;7(5):1497-502 PubMed

Genomics. 2001 May 1;73(3):255-63 PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1992 Jun;200(2):339-50 PubMed

J Histochem Cytochem. 2000 Jan;48(1):13-20 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 2015 May;35(10):1871-81 PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1991 Feb;192(2):325-32 PubMed

Genome Res. 2005 Aug;15(8):1079-85 PubMed

Oncogene. 2013 Apr 11;32(15):1988-94 PubMed

Cell. 1997 Aug 8;90(3):559-67 PubMed

EMBO Rep. 2008 Aug;9(8):774-80 PubMed

J Cell Sci. 1997 Oct;110 ( Pt 19):2429-40 PubMed

PLoS Genet. 2010 Mar 26;6(3):e1000889 PubMed

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2014 Jun;30:154-64 PubMed

Genome Biol. 2015 Mar 12;16:52 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 2012 Oct;40(19):9441-54 PubMed

Nucleic Acids Res. 1992 Nov 11;20(21):5846 PubMed

Mol Cell. 2012 Mar 30;45(6):790-800 PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1993 Mar;205(1):142-51 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1994 May;14 (5):2871-82 PubMed

IUBMB Life. 2004 Aug;56(8):457-65 PubMed

EMBO J. 1986 Jun;5(6):1267-73 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Sep;71(9):3626-30 PubMed

Mol Biol Cell. 2010 Nov 1;21(21):3735-48 PubMed

Exp Cell Res. 1996 Apr 10;224(1):163-73 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2007 Aug 15;21(16):2041-54 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2007 Jan;9(1):25-35 PubMed

Cell. 1983 Apr;32(4):1287-99 PubMed

Mol Cell Biol. 1995 May;15(5):2482-9 PubMed

Annu Rev Biochem. 1980;49:727-64 PubMed

Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2014 Jun;28:54-60 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2005 Jan 1;19(1):50-64 PubMed

Chromosoma. 1997 Jun;105(7-8):470-80 PubMed

J Mol Biol. 1978 Aug 15;123(3):371-86 PubMed

Genes Dev. 2013 Jul 15;27(14):1545-50 PubMed

Science. 1994 Sep 30;265(5181):2096-8 PubMed

Human rDNA and Cancer

Variability of Human rDNA

Life time of some RNA products of rDNA intergenic spacer in HeLa cells

Nucleolar aggresomes mediate release of pericentric heterochromatin and nuclear destruction of genotoxically treated cancer cells