SEQUENCE AND DEVELOPMENTAL REGULATION OF THE GENE THAT ENCODES THE DICTYOSTELIUM-DISCOIDEUM L3 RIBOSOMAL-PROTEIN

We have isolated and characterized genomic and cDNA recombinant plasmi ds that encode the Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) ribosomal protein L3 (rpL3), Genomic plasmids were identified using a probe derived from th e Saccharomyces cerevisiae TCM1 gene, that encodes the yeast rpL3. The DdL3 gene contains two introns and encodes a protein 398 amino acids in length that shows a high degree of homology to the conserved rpL3 p rotein of both lower and higher eukaryotes. During development, both t he pattern of accumulation of DdL3 mRNA and changes in its translation al activity are identical to those observed for other r-protein mRNAs.