title: Characterization of al-2, the phytoene synthase gene of Neurospora crassa. Cloning, sequence analysis, and photoregulation.
abstract: We have cloned the al-2 gene of Neurospora crassa and have analyzed its structure and regulation. The gene encodes a 603-residue polypeptide with a segment homologous to prokaryotic and other eukaryotic phytoene synthases. RNA measurements showed that the level of al-2 mRNA increased over 30-fold in photoinduced mycelia compared with dark-grown mycelia. This observation is consistent with the fact that carotenoid biosynthesis is induced by blue light during growth of N. crassa mycelia. The photoinduced increase in al-2 mRNA levels was not observed in two Neurospora mutants, wc-1 and wc-2, that are defective in all physiological photoresponses.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 62901-4413.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Schmidhauser
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Lauter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yanofsky
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000528:radiation effects; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000528:radiation effects; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000528:radiation effects; D014166:Transferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014166:Transferases; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase