title: Rps3 and rpl16 genes do not overlap in Oenothera mitochondria: GTG as a potential translation initiation codon in plant mitochondria?
abstract: Characterization of the Oenothera mitochondrial ribosomal gene cluster rps19-rps3-rpl16 shows the two genes rps3 and rpl16 to be separated by 9 nucleotides. The first codon of rpl16 is a GTG codon for valine and the only potential translational start. This GTG codon is conserved at the same position in maize, Petunia and Marchantia mitochondria, while sequences diverge upstream. These observations suggest that GTG at least at this position may act as translation initiation codon in plant mitochondria. Analysis of RNA editing suggests both genes to code for functional ribosomal proteins in Oenothera mitochondria. A duplication/recombination event at a decanucleotide in the intron of rps3 created a pseudogene missing part of the intron and the 3' exon.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Genbiologische Forschung, Berlin, FRG.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brennicke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003062:Codon; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology*; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010442:Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational; D011544:Pseudogenes; D017393:RNA Editing; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C031249:ribosomal protein L6; C044152:ribosomal protein S3