Sequence divergence of the mitochondrial leucytl-tRNA cistron in several eukaryotes has been examined by RNA-DNA hybridized. Rat mitochondria Leucyl-tRNA was hybridized with rat, mouse, guinea pig, monkey, chicken, and yeast mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNA) immobilized onfilters. Hybridization was carried out in 50% formamide (Tm -12degrees) or in 20% fromamide (Tm -21degrees). melting profiles of the hybrids were obtained for evaluation of the extent of base sequence micmatching. Under the more stringent hybridization conditions (50% formamide, Tm -12degrees), only mouse and quines pig mtDNAs hybridized with rat mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA. The Tm's of the heterohybrids were depressed by 2 and 9 degrees, respectively. Under less stringent hybridization conditions (Tm-21 degrees), monkey mtDNA also hybridized, and the Tm was depressed by about 15 degrees. Chicken and yeast mtDNAs did not form specific hybrids with rat mibochondrial leucyl-tRNA under these hybridization conditions. Mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA sequences in different eukaryotes appear to be conserved to a less extent than cytoplasmic rRNA, 5S RNA, or hemoglobin mRNA sequences.