THE CH1L (FRXC) GENE - PHYLOGENETIC DISTRIBUTION IN VASCULAR PLANTS AND DNA-SEQUENCE FROM POLYSTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES (PTERIDOPHYTA) AND SYNECHOCOCCUS SP 7002 (CYANOBACTERIA)

We examined chlL (frxC) gene evolution using several approaches. Seque nces from the chloroplast genome of the fern Polystichum acrostichoide s and from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. 7002 were determined a nd found to be highly conserved. A complete physical map of the fern c hloroplast genome and partial maps of other vascular plant taxa show t hat chlL is located primarily in the small single copy region as in Ma rchantia polymorpha. A survey of a wide variety of non-angiospermous v ascular plant DNAs shows that chlL is widely distributed but has been lost in the pteridophyte Psilotum and (presumably independently) withi n the Gnetalean gymnosperms.