A cDNA encoding ribosomal (r) protein L18 of Arabidopsis thaliana (At)
was isolated and characterized. The nucleotide sequence contains a 56
3-bp open reading frame that encodes a 20.9-kDa basic protein. Amino-a
cid comparison indicated that the predicted L18 r-protein of At has a
high degree of homology with L18 of distantly related organisms such a
s yeast, Xenopus laevis and rat. Genomic DNA analysis suggested that L
18 is encoded by a single locus in At. An mRNA of approx. 0.9 kb is de
tected in all the tissues and developmental stages analyzed.