Deviation from the universal code shown by the gene for surface protein 51A in Paramecium

Formation of stable chromatin structures on the histone H4 gene during differentiation in Tetrahymena thermophila

The relationship between chromatin structure and the transcriptional activity of the histone H4-I gene of Tetrahymena thermophila was explored. Indirect end-labeling studies demonstrated that major DNase I- and micrococcal nuclease-hypersensitive sites flank the active macronuclear genes but not the inactive micronuclear genes. Runon transcription experiments with isolated macronuclei indicated that histone gene transcription rates decreased when cells were starved. However, macronuclear nuclease-hypersensitive sites persisted upon starvation. Thus, one level of transcriptional control of the H4-I gene results in altered chromatin structure and is established during nuclear differentiation. The rate of transcription is also controlled, but not through hypersensitive site-associated structures.

Nucleotide sequence of the Paramecium primaurelia G surface protein. A huge protein with a highly periodic structure

The complete DNA sequence of the G surface protein of Paramecium primaurelia has been determined. It contains an open reading frame of 8145 nucleotides devoid of introns and coding for a protein of 329,000 Mr. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence reveals remarkable features such as important internal homologies and a periodic structure, which could be dictated in part by the rigid scaffolding of cysteine residues. The predicted secondary structure shows a quasi absence of alpha-helix and an abundance of beta-pleated sheets and random coils. The monotony of the amino acid sequence is in favour of a structural role for the protein. Interestingly, homologies with other proteins are limited to surface antigens of trypanosomes. Finally, our data are consistent with a genetic code for paramecium which differs from the "universal" code by the assignment of TAA and TAG codons to glutamine.

First position wobble in codon-anticodon pairing: amber suppression by a yeast glutamine tRNA

A 2.4-kb fragment of DNA isolated from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome was found to suppress amber mutations when its carrier plasmid was present in high copy number. A 1.2-kb subclone of this fragment was sufficient to confer suppressor activity. Sequencing has established that this fragment carries a normal glutamine tRNA gene. Deletion of this tRNA gene from the subclone resulted in the loss of suppressor activity. The tRNAGln has the anticodon CUG that normally recognizes the glutamine codon CAG. We propose that suppression occurs via an inefficient readthrough of the UAG amber stop codons during translation. Such readthrough requires wobble in the first position of the codon.

Paramecium mitochondrial DNA sequences and RNA transcripts for cytochrome oxidase subunit I, URF1, and three ORFs adjacent to the replication origin

A 2-kb region adjacent to the replication origin (ori) and a 3-kb region located between the small and large ribosomal RNAs of Paramecium mitochondrial (mt) DNA have been sequenced and the locations of their transcripts determined. The ori segment contains four transcripts, some of which are overlapping, which encode a known protein and two other open reading frames. The other segment encodes, on separate transcripts, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit one gene (COI) and the URF1 gene (ND1) common to most mt genomes. All these genes have the same orientation and do not contain introns. The COI gene is the most divergent of those known and has an internal 108 amino acid 'insert' not found in COI genes from other organisms. With these data it is possible to define a probable Paramecium mt genetic code. With the exception that TGA codes for tryptophan and the use of different start codons, Paramecium mtDNA appears to follow the universal code. GTA possibly can be used as a start codon.

Macronuclear structure of the G surface antigen gene of Paramecium primaurelia and direct expression of its repeated epitopes in Escherichia coli

The gene encoding the G surface antigen of Paramecium primaurelia was cloned from a macronuclear DNA library by a screening procedure involving differential hybridization with cDNA probes synthesized from polyadenylated RNAs of cells expressing one of two alternate antigens. S1 mapping experiments and sequencing of the cloned DNA and the mRNA showed that the cloned gene corresponded to the high-molecular-weight mRNA that had been indirectly identified as that of the G surface antigen. Because the genetic code of Paramecium spp. is different from the "universal" code, this mRNA cannot be correctly translated in vitro; direct proof that it encoded the antigenic determinants of this protein was therefore obtained through expression of fragments of the coding sequence in Escherichia coli by using the expression vector lambda gt11. Studies on the structure of this gene revealed that the central part of the coding sequence contained at least five tandem repeats of 222 base pairs, encoding immunogenic domains of the protein. We also showed that, like other surface antigen genes of trypanosomes and paramecia, this gene lay next to a chromosome end and that no rearrangement of its immediate genomic environment was associated with its expression.

Nucleotide sequences of three tRNA genes encoded in Tetrahymena mitochondrial DNA

Nucleotide sequences of three cloned restriction fragments of Tetrahymena mtDNA which showed hybridization with mitochondrial tRNA have been determined. EcoRI fragment 5 (4.1 kbp) contains the tRNAphe gene sequence with anticodon GAA; Hind III fragment 6 (2.0 kbp) the tRNAhis with anticodon GTG; and EcoRI fragment 7 (1.9 kbp) the tRNAtrp with anticodon TCA. The CCA end is not encoded. All three tRNAs show usual features with common invariant and semi-invariant bases and can be folded into a cloverleaf structure with standard loops and regular base pairs in the stems. However, some minor irregular features are present including several GT pairs and an unmatched TT in the stems, and TCC instead of T psi C. All exhibit high G+C contents (about 50%); in contrast, the flanking regions are extremely A+T rich (about 80%). Several short coding frames can be deduced in these sequences, but their significance is not known.

Computer generation and statistical analysis of a data bank of protein sequences translated from GenBank

We describe PGtrans, a new and freely available protein sequence databank (2625 sequences, 554198 amino-acids). This data bank is routinely produced by automatic computer translation of the nucleotide sequence library GenBank. The information needed for the translation process (transcriptional orientation, location of coding regions, splice sites and pertinent genetic code) is gathered by the translation program through an "intelligent" scanning of the documentary field of each GenBank entry. Inconsistencies resulting in unexpected termination codons are detected and reported thus allowing the correction of data bank errors. PGtrans is intended as a tool for protein similarity searches. Its reasonable overall size (2 Moctets) makes it suitable for micro-computer environments. Up to date amino-acid composition data and relative abundances of di-, tri-, and tetra-peptides in proteins of known sequences are presented and discussed.