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Transcriptional analysis of themtA idiomorph ofNeurospora crassa identifies two genes in addition tomtA-1

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Abstract

InNeurospora crassa, mating and heterokaryon formation between opposite mating-types is controlled by a single locus with two alternate forms termedmt A andmt a. Previously, an open reading frame (mt A-1) that confers mating identity and heterokaryon incompatibility was characterized in the 5.3 kbmt A idiomorph. In this study, we describe the structural and transcriptional characterization of two additional genes in themt A idiomorph,mt A-2 andmt A-3. The 373 amino acidmt A-2 ORF has 23% identity to theSMR1 ORF ofPodospora anserina. DNA sequence analysis of a mutation affecting ascospore formation revealed that themt A-2 ORF is truncated to 129 amino acids. The 324 amino acidmt A-3 ORF has an HMG domain and shows 22% amino acid identity toSMR2 ofP. anserina. Transcripts frommt A-2 andmt A-3 are constitutively expressed during both vegetative and sexual reproduction. The presence of upstream ORFs in themt A-2 andmt A-3 transcripts suggests the possibility of post-transcriptional regulation of the expressionmt A-2 andmt A-3 polypeptides.

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Author notes

  1. N. Louise Glass

    Present address: N. Louise Glass, Rm. 237 Wesbrook, Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Adlane V. B. Ferreira, Sven Saupe & N. Louise Glass

Authors
  1. Adlane V. B. Ferreira
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  2. Sven Saupe
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  3. N. Louise Glass
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Additional information

Communicated by E. Cerda-Olmedo

The first two authors made equal contributions to the research reported in this paper

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Ferreira, A.V.B., Saupe, S. & Glass, N.L. Transcriptional analysis of themtA idiomorph ofNeurospora crassa identifies two genes in addition tomtA-1 . Molec. Gen. Genet. 250, 767–774 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02172989

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02172989

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