ISSN:
1573-5028
Keywords:
developmental regulation
;
elongation factor
;
evolution
;
gene expression
;
rhodophyte, sporophyte
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The life cycle of the red alga Porphyra purpurea alternates between two morphologically distinct phases: a shell-boring, filamentous sporophyte and a free-living, foliose gametophyte. From a subtracted cDNA library enriched for sporophyte-specific sequences, we isolated a cDNA encoding an unusual elongation factor 1α (EF-1α) that is expressed only in the sporophyte. A second EF-1α gene that is expressed equally in the sporophyte and the gametophyte was isolated from a genomic library. These are the only EF-1α genes detectable in P. purpurea. The constitutively expressed gene encodes and EF-1α very similar to those of most eukaryotes. However, the sporophyte-specific EF-1α is one of the most divergent yet described, with nine insertions or deletions ranging in size from 1 to 26 amino acids. This is the first report of a developmental stage-specific EF-1α outside of the animal kingdom and suggests a fundamental role for EF-1α in the developmental process.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00020608
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