SEQUENCES OF 2 EXPRESSED SEQUENCE TAGS (EST) FROM RICE ENCODING DIFFERENT CAP-BINDING PROTEINS

Wheat has been shown to have two forms of the cap-binding protein that participate in the initiation of translation. To identify cap-binding proteins from other higher plant species, the expressed sequence tag (EST) database was searched. Several rice ESTs were identified with si milarity to both forms of the wheat cap-binding proteins. Two of the r ice ESTs were obtained and the cDNA sequences completed. The deduced a mino acid sequences of the rice cap-binding proteins are compared to t he wheat cap-binding proteins and cap-binding proteins from Saccharomy ces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, Xenopus laevis and human.