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Cytoskeletal actin gene families ofXenopus borealis andXenopus laevis

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Summary

We have sequenced the coding and leader regions, as well as part of the 3′ untranslated region, of aXenopus borealis type 1 cytoskeletal actin gene [defined according to the arrangement of acidic residues at the N-terminus; Vandekerckhove et al. (1981) J Mol Biol 152:413–426]. The encoded amino acid sequence is the same as the avian and mammalian β (type 1) cytoskeletal actins, except for an isoleucine at position 10 (as found in the mammalian γ cytoskeletal actins), and an extra amino acid, alanine, after the N-terminal methionine. Five introns were found, in the same positions as those of the rat and chicken β-actin genes. The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions resemble those of the human γ (type 8) cytoskeletal actin gene more closely than the mammalian β genes.

Primer extension showed that this type 1 gene is transcribed in ovary and tadpole. Sequencing of primer extension products demonstrated two additional mRNA species inX. borealis, encoding type 7 and 8 isoforms. This contrasts with the closely related speciesXenopus laevis, where type 4, 5, and 8 isoforms have been found. The type 7 isoform has not previously been found in any other species. The mRNAs of theX. borealis type 1 and 8 andX. laevis type 5 and 8 isoforms contain highly homologous leaders. TheX. borealis type 7 mRNA has no leader homology with the other mRNA species and, unlike them, has no extra N-terminal alanine codon. The evolutionary implications of these data are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MRC Animal Development Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, England

    Gareth S. Cross, Clive Wilson & Hugh R. Woodland

  2. The MEDIGEN Project, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and Veterans Administration Medical Center, 94304, Palo Alto, California, USA

    Harry P. Erba

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  1. Gareth S. Cross
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  2. Clive Wilson
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  3. Harry P. Erba
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  4. Hugh R. Woodland
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Cross, G.S., Wilson, C., Erba, H.P. et al. Cytoskeletal actin gene families ofXenopus borealis andXenopus laevis . J Mol Evol 27, 17–28 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02099726

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02099726

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