Sequence analysis of an amphioxus cosmid containing a gene homologous to members of the aldo-keto reductase gene superfamily

To gain an insight into vertebrate genome evolution, we have analysed the o rganization of an approximately 40-kb genomic clone of an amphioxus (Branch iostoma floridae) cosmid library. Amphioxus is considered as being the last non-vertebrate relative to vertebrates. Sequencing and analysis of the abo ve clone using three different exon prediction programs (GRAIL, GENSCAN, MZ EF) have led to the identification of a gene of the aldo-keto reductase fam ily as well as further exons that gave a significant database match to know n genes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.