ISOLATION OF THE VMA-6 GENE ENCODING A 41 KDA SUBUNIT OF THE NEUROSPORA-CRASSA VACUOLAR ATPASE, AND AN ADJOINING GENE ENCODING A RIBOSOME-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN

The vma-6 gene, encoding a membrane-associated subunit of the vacuolar H+-ATPase from Neurospora crassa, was cloned and sequenced. The gene contains three small introns and encodes a protein of 41005 Da. When c ompared with homologous polypeptides from other species, the N. crassa protein contains a unique glycine-rich region. Three conserved cystei ne residues, previously unrecognized, have been identified. An unrelat ed gene encoding a protein of 31701 Da was found 2.1 kb downstream of vma-6. The second gene appears to encode the N. crassa homolog of a ri bosome-associated protein identified previously in several plant and m ammalian cells, and was named rap-l.