Nucleotide sequence of aDrosophila melanogasterH1 histone gene

Using the M13/dldeozy method, we have determined the nucleotide sequence of 958 bp spanning the HI gene in the 4.8 kbp histone gene cluster of cDm500 (l). The gene contains a single open reading frame that encodes a protein of 255 amlno acids. SI mapping suggests this HI gene is expressed in Drosophila embryos, and that the encoded mRNA starts at position -37 +/2, indicating that the sequence 5'-CATTT-3' contains the mRNA start site. The gene lacks an evident TATA motif 5' to the initiation site. This finding was unexpected, since sequence analyses of the core histone genes in the 4.8 kbp repeating unit of cDm500 led to the identification of the TATA motif (2).