Orphon spliced-leader sequences form part of a repetitive element in Angiostrongylus cantonensis

In nematodes, the 22 nucleotide (nt) spliced leader (SL) is normally encoded by a multi-copy, tandemly reiterated SL gene and is trans-spliced from SL-RNA onto the 5' end of a subset of mRNAs. We have found that the SL is also encoded at multiple (> 100) orphon genomic sites in the parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis. At these sites the sequence forms part of a 198 bp repetitive element (designated con-198). Transcription from two genomic elements that contain the con-198 sequence has been characterised. At one element (G-2) an approximately 850 nt RNA with an internal SL is transcribed. At the other (G-1), transcription takes place 3 kb downstream of the con-198 sequence.