title: Isolation and structural organization of the Neurospora crassa copper metallothionein gene.
abstract: The Neurospora crassa copper metallothionein gene was cloned and its complete nucleotide sequence is reported. Enriched metallothionein mRNA was used as a template for cDNA synthesis, primed by a metallothionein-specific, synthetic undecanucleotide. The sequence of the cDNA obtained allowed the synthesis of a unique 21-mer which was used to screen a genomic DNA library of N. crassa. In agreement with the published amino acid sequence, the gene codes for a polypeptide 26 amino acid residues in length. The coding region is interrupted by a small intron (94 nucleotides). The gene structure is compared with those of mammalian metallothioneins. In both cases, the coding regions are split by introns, the intron-exon boundaries, however, are in different positions. The neurospora copper metallothionein gene is, to our knowledge, the smallest gene interrupted by an intron isolated so far.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Münger
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Germann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lerch
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003300:Copper; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009491:Neurospora / Q000235:genetics*; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein