title: Structural evolution of the 4/1 genes and proteins in non-vascular and lower vascular plants.
abstract: The 4/1 protein of unknown function is encoded by a single-copy gene in most higher plants. The 4/1 protein of Nicotiana tabacum (Nt-4/1 protein) has been shown to be alpha-helical and predominantly expressed in conductive tissues. Here, we report the analysis of 4/1 genes and the encoded proteins of lower land plants. Sequences of a number of 4/1 genes from liverworts, lycophytes, ferns and gymnosperms were determined and analyzed together with sequences available in databases. Most of the vascular plants were found to encode Magnoliophyta-like 4/1 proteins exhibiting previously described gene structure and protein properties. Identification of the 4/1-like proteins in hornworts, liverworts and charophyte algae (sister lineage to all land plants) but not in mosses suggests that 4/1 proteins are likely important for plant development but not required for a primary metabolic function of plant cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia; A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: morozov@genebee.msu.su.
authors.forename: Sergey Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Morozov
authors.affiliation: A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Irina A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Milyutina
authors.affiliation: A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Vera K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Bobrova
authors.affiliation: M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., Moscow 117997, Russia.
authors.forename: Dmitry Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Ryazantsev
authors.affiliation: M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., Moscow 117997, Russia.
authors.forename: Tatiana N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Erokhina
authors.affiliation: M. M. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya Str., Moscow 117997, Russia.
authors.forename: Sergey K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Zavriev
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexey A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Agranovsky
authors.affiliation: A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Andrey G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Solovyev
authors.affiliation: A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexey V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Troitsky
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D044002:Bryophyta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D057946:Charophyceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019295:Computational Biology; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D032462:Cycadopsida / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017343:Genes, Plant; D015698:Genomic Library; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D063245:Plant Development; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D057948:Viridiplantae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Cloning; Gene evolution; Plant 4/1 gene; Protein phylogeny; Protein structure