title: Expression of a globin gene in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Oligonucleotides related to parts of a globin-like sequence in the genome of Caenorhabditis elegans were used to probe a cDNA library from the same species. A complete globin-like sequence was found in the cDNA, showing that a globin gene appears to be expressed. The hypothetical protein was compatible with the conventional globin fold but may be truncated in the B helix, as in Chironomus globin III. An intron in the codon for residue E3 in the E helix was removed in expression. An initiation codon preceded the globin but the sequence upstream (extending for 30 nucleotides to the vector ligation site) had characteristics both of the code for a protein hydrophobic leader and of a trans-spliced RNA leader. The evidence indicates that C. elegans globin has a single domain, unlike some nematodes that express two tandem globin domains in a continuous translation product, and from its sequence may be predicted to have a high affinity for oxygen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mansell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Timms
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moens
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Trotman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D015870:Gene Expression; D015723:Gene Library; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005914:Globins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005914:Globins