A gene/pseudogene tandem duplication encodes a cysteine-rich protein expressed during zygote development in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
The Class V zygote-specific gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been cloned and sequenced. This gene encodes a polypeptide of 86 amino acids, which contains a signal peptide and 6 cysteine residues arranged in an inverted symmetrical repeat. The Class V gene product is postulated to be a component of the zygote cell wall. Southern analysis revealed two tandemly oriented and closely linked copies of the Class V gene, designated A and B. The A gene appears to be a pseudogene, based on analysis of Class V cDNAs, primer extension with gene-specific primers, and Northern analysis which failed to detect an A gene transcript. Genetic analysis using a related Chlamydomonas species that lacks the A gene, but which produces normal zygotic progeny, further indicates that the A gene is not required for zygote development.
Matters
G L
GL
Department of Biology, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130.
Goodenough
U W
UW
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011544:Pseudogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C073837:class V zygote-specific protein, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii