CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER CDK5 HOMOLOG

The D. melanogaster homolog of mammalian CDK5 has been cloned and its chromosomal location determined. The gene for Cdk5 consists of 4 exons separated by 3 short introns ranging in size from 61-160 bp. Northern blot analysis revealed a single mRNA of approximately 1.6 kb that is expressed at highest levels in the adult fly. The putative amino acid sequence for Drosophila Cdk5 predicts a protein with a mass of approxi mately 32 kDa that is 77% identical to its mammalian counter-parts. Dr osophila Cdk5 gene is located in polytene chromosomal region 52BC of t he right arm of chromosome 2. This study provides the framework for a molecular genetic analysis of CDK5 function.