ANALYSIS OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL ATP SYNTHASE BETA-SUBUNIT GENE IN DROSOPHILIDAE - STRUCTURE, TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATORY FEATURES AND DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERN OF EXPRESSION IN DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER

We have cloned and determined the structure of the gene encoding the H +-ATP synthase beta subunit in two distantly related Drosophila specie s, D. melanogaster and D. virilis. The gene contains three exons that are extremely well conserved at the amino acid level, not only in the region encoding the mature protein but also in that encoding the leade r peptide. Primer extension analysis indicates that the 5' untranslate d region is extremely short, and reveals the presence of multiple init iation sites of transcription in both Drosophila species. The promoter s of D. melanogaster and D. virilis H+-ATP synthase beta-subunit genes contain a conserved region surrounding the initiation transcription s ites. Nucleotide sequence analysis has revealed the absence of canonic al TATA and CCAAT boxes and the presence of several putative regulator y elements in both promoter regions, including GAGA, GATA and Ets bind ing sites. We have analysed the pattern of gene expression during D. m elanogaster development. The mRNA is stored in oocytes, and activation of transcription takes place after 10 h of development. The expressio n of the nuclear-encoded H+-ATP synthase beta subunit is strictly coor dinated with the expression of subunits 6 and 8 of the same complex th at are encoded in the mitochondrial genome.