Summary
The genome of Tetrahymena pyriformis has been shown to contain a ubiquitin multigene family consisting of several polyubiquitin genes and at least one ubiquitin fusion gene. We report here the isolation and characterization of one genomic clone (pTUl1), that encodes a ubiquitin extension protein. A comparison of the predicted amino acid sequence of the ubiquitin extension protein gene of T. pyriformis with those from other organisms indicated a high degree of homology. However, the Tetrahymena ubiquitin extension protein contains 53 and not 52 amino acids. This feature is different from all ubiquitin 52-amino-acid extension protein genes thus far sequenced. Furthermore, we found an array of four cysteine residues similar to those found in nucleic acid binding proteins. Also, the C-terminal sequence possesses a conserved motif which may represent a nuclear translocation signal. The ubiquitin 53-amino-acid extension protein gene encodes the smallest class of ubiquitin mRNAs in T. pyriformis.
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Neves, A.M., Guerreiro, P., Miquerol, L. et al. Molecular cloning and expression of a Tetrahymena pyriformis ubiquitin fusion gene coding for a 53-amino-acid extension protein. Molec. Gen. Genet. 230, 186–192 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290667
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290667