Intron gain and loss in the evolution of the conserved eukaryotic recombination machinery.

ABSTRACT: Intron conservation, intron gain or loss and putative intron sliding events were determined for a set of three genes (SPO11, MRE11 and DMC1) involved in basic aspects of recombination in eukaryotes. These are ancient genes and present in nearly all of the major kingdoms. MRE11 is of bacterial origin and can be found in all kingdoms. DMC1 is a specialized homolog of the bacterial RecA protein, whereas the SPO11 gene is of archaebacterial origin. Only unique homologs of SPO11 are found in animals and fungi whereas three distantly related SPO11 copies are present in plant genomes. A comparison of the respective intron positions and phases of all genes was performed, demonstrating that a quarter of the intron positions were perfectly conserved over more than 1 000 000 000 years. Regarding the

SUBMITTER: Hartung F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC137963 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature