IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SMT3 CDNA AND GENE FROM NEMATODE CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS

SMT3 gene from nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, was identified and se quenced. The nematode SMT3 gene codes for a homolog to the yeast SMT3, suppressor of MIF2 mutation in a centromere protein gene. Further, ne matode SMT3 cDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from a cDN A library and its nucleotide sequence determined. A comparison of the SMT3 genomic and cDNA sequences established that the protein-encoding sequence is interrupted by two introns of 56 and 50 bp at codon Nos. 2 2-23 and 56, respectively. The sequence of 91 amino acids deduced from the nematode SMT3 nucleotide sequence exhibited 42 and 47% identity t o the yeast and human SMT3 protein sequences, respectively, The evolut ionary relationships of SMT3 proteins from human, nematode, Arabidopsi s, rice, and yeast were analyzed. (C) 1997 Academic Press.