The elongation factor-1 delta (EF-1 delta) originates from gene duplication of an EF-1 beta ancestor and fusion with a protein-binding domain

The molecular evolution of two components of elongation factor-1 (EF-1), EF -1 beta and EF-1 delta was analysed using the distance matrix, the maximum parsimony and the maximum likelihood methods, after careful alignment of pr otein and cDNA sequences. The topology of the phylogenetic trees obtained s upports monophyly of plant EF-1 beta and EF-1 beta' sequences, and monophyl y of higher eukaryotic animal EF-1 beta and EF-1 delta sequences. EF-1 beta and EF-1 delta are homologous in their C-terminal domain. EF-1 delta, whic h emerged before arthropods, originates from a beta-type ancestor gene and fusion with a leucine zipper N-terminal motif. Plant EF-1 beta and EF-1 bet a' correspond to paralogous genes whose ancestor was most likely duplicated before the emergence of monocotyledons and dicotyledons. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.