title: Isolation and characterization of alpha-tubulin genes from Septoria tritici and Rhynchosporium secalis, and comparative analysis of fungal alpha-tubulin sequences.
abstract: The alpha-tubulin genes from Septoria tritici and Rhynchosporium secalis have been cloned and sequenced. The predicted amino acid sequence and intron structure showed strong homology with other known filamentous fungal alpha-tubulins. Comparison of sixteen fungal alpha-tubulin sequences based on amino acid sequence homology and intron structure identified five groups of proteins. Group 1 consists of filamentous fungi, including S. tritici and R. secalis, the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, and Pneumocystis carinii. Group 2 includes two divergent isoforms from Neurospora crassa and Aspergillus nidulans. Group 3 includes the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans. Group 4 contains the single yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Group 5 includes the only Basidiomycete, Schizophyllum commune. This analysis supports the classification of P carinii as a primitive Ascomycete. The presence of an additional glycine residue between the second and third amino acid found only in Group 2 proteins may indicate a functionally distinct fungal isotype. Implications in terms of structure-function relationships for alpha-tubulin molecules are discussed.
authors.affiliation: IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom. rohel@rennes.inra.fr
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rohel
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Butters
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hollomon
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D014404:Tubulin