Nucleic Acids Research, Vol 24, Issue 16 3195-3200, Copyright © 1996 by Oxford University Press
V Florian and A Klein
The macronuclear genome of Euplotes crassus contains two different genes,
EFA1 and EFA2, encoding EF-1alpha proteins. They are derived from
micronuclear precursors in the course of a sexual process termed
conjugation. We have found that two apparent micronuclear precursors exist
for EFA1. They differ in their potential coding sequences and in the
internal sequences interrupting the genes, which are normally removed
during the processing from micronuclear into macronuclear genes. One of
these genes is not processed into a macronuclear gene and has accumulated
C-->T transitions in a limited section of the coding region. The gene
obviously constitutes a recent duplication which has lost its ability to be
processed into a macronuclear gene and has therefore become a micronuclear
pseudogene. The true EFA1 precursor harbours a novel type of internal
sequence in addition to a classical AT-rich IES. As usual, only one
micronuclear EFA2 precursor gene was found. Its coding sequence is
interrupted by a 79 bp TeIIES.
ARTICLES
A nascent micronuclear pseudogene in the ciliate Euplotes crassus
Molecular Genetics, Department of Biology, Phillips University, Marburg, Germany.
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