Gene structure of two-domain arginine kinases from Anthopleura japonicus and Pseudocardium sachalinensis.
Unusual two-domain arginine kinases (AKs) arose independently at least two times during molecular evolution of phosphagen kinases: AKs from the primitive sea anemone Anthopleurura japonicus and from the clam Pseudocardium sachalinensis. To elucidate its unusual evolution, the structures of Anthopleura and Pseudocardium AK genes have been determined. The Anthopleura gene consisted of 4 exons and 3 introns: two domains are linked by a bridge intron, and each domain contains one intron in different positions. On the other hand, the Pseudocardium gene consisted of 10 exons and 9 introns: two domains are also linked by a bridge intron, and domains 1 and 2 contains 3 and 5 introns, respectively, of which 3 introns are located in exactly same positions. Since the two domains of Pseudocardium AK are estimated to have diverged about 290 million years ago, the 3 introns have been conserved at least for this long. Comparison of intron positions in Anthopleura, Pseudocardium and C. elegans AK genes indicates that there is no intron conserved through the three AK lineages, in sharp contrast to relatively conservative intron positions in creatine kinase (CK) gene family.
Suzuki
T
T
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kochi University, Japan. suzuki@sc.kochi-u.ac.jp
Yamamoto
Y
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001122:Arginine Kinase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001483:Base Sequence; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000201:enzymology*; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005091:Exons; D020440:Gene Duplication; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000201:enzymology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D017931:DNA Primers; D001122:Arginine Kinase