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Structural characterization of a rice actin gene

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Abstract

We have isolated and sequenced a full-length cDNA clone containing information for the rice actin gene RAc1. Transcript terminus mapping and sequence alignment between the RAc1 cDNA clone and a previously isolated RAc1 genomic clone were used to determine the structure of the RAc1 gene. This allowed us to make the first complete structural characterization of a plant actin gene. The analysis revealed the presence of a 5′-noncoding exon, separated by an intron, from the first translated exon of the RAc1 gene. This is one of the few reported cases of a plant gene containing such a 5′-noncoding exon. Sequence comparison between the previously isolated plant actin genes suggests that such an exon may be a common feature of plant actin gene structure. The present study also confirms that the rice actin gene family is composed of at least eight unique members.

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Author notes

  1. Madge Rothenberg

    Present address: Section of Plant Breeding, Cornell University, Emerson Hall, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Field of Botany, Cornell University, Biotechnology Building, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

    David McElroy

  2. Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Biotechnology Building, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Madge Rothenberg & Ray Wu

Authors
  1. David McElroy
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  2. Madge Rothenberg
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  3. Ray Wu
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McElroy, D., Rothenberg, M. & Wu, R. Structural characterization of a rice actin gene. Plant Mol Biol 14, 163–171 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018557

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018557

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