Abstract
The gene for tRNA(Phe) is located 292 nucleotides upstream of the tRNA(Pro) gene in the Oenothera mitochondrial genome. Hybridization with in vitro capped primary transcripts indicates a transcription initiation site in the 5' region of the gene for tRNA(Phe). Primer extension experiments show the presence of precursor transcripts covering tRNA(Phe) and adjacent sequences up to a transcription initiation site 181 or 180 nucleotides upstream of the tRNA gene. The genomic sequence at this transcription initiation site contains the consensus motif derived for putative promoters of mitochondrial protein and rRNA coding genes in dicotyledonous plants. This sequence similarity suggests that tRNAs, rRNAs and mRNAs can be transcribed from homologous promoters in plant mitochondria.