title: Structural features and phylogeny of the actin gene of Chondrus crispus (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta).
abstract: We have characterized the cDNA and genomic sequences that encode actin from the multicellular red alga Chondrus crispus. Southern-blot analysis indicates that the C. crispus actin gene (ChAc) is present as a single copy. Northern analysis shows that, like the GapA gene, the actin gene is well expressed in gametophytes but weakly in protoplasts. Compared to actin genes of animals, fungi, green plants and oomycetes, that of C. crispus displays a higher evolutionary rate and does not show any of the amino-acid signatures characteristic of the other lineages. As previously described for GapA, ChAc is interrupted by a single intron at the beginning of the coding region. The site of initiation of transcription was characterized by RNAse protection. The promoter region displays a CAAT box but lacks a canonical TATA motif. Other noticeable features, such as a high content of pyrimidines as well as a 14-nt motif found in both the 5'-untranslated region and the intron, were observed.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Etudes Océanologiques et de Biologie Marine, CNRS, Roscoff, France.
authors.forename: F Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Bouget
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kerbourc'h
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liaud
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loiseaux de Goër
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Quatrano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cerff
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kloareg
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018076:DNA, Complementary