CONIFER CDNA SEQUENCES ARE HIGHLY CONSERVED AMONG EUKARYOTIC GENOMES

Computer search algorithms for Pinus taeda cDNA sequences revealed tha t 20 of 41 Pinus taeda cDNA sequences had conserved homology to angios perms, animals and/or other conifers. Ten of the 20 homologous sequenc es coded for highly conserved amino acid products among conifers, flow ering plants and animals. Among the 20 homologous sequences, there wer e 12 highly conserved query sequences. These sequences coded for DNA r eplication, RNA-binding protein, glycolysis and photosynthesis. A tota l of 34 plant species were identified with homologies to P. taeda cDNA sequences. Of these families, one family of conifers and one family o f monocots were represented in the matches to P. taeda. The remaining 16 families were dicots. Using nucleotide sequences to infer evolution ary relationships among plants will improve as mon plant genomic seque nces drawn from a wider taxonomic spectrum are added to public databas es.