Open AccessStructure, organization and expression of two clustered cuticle protein genes during the metamorphosis of an insect, Tenebrio molitor
Author(s) -
Rondot Isabelle,
Quennedey Brigitte,
Delachambre Jean
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1998.2540304.x
Subject(s) - biology , gene , genetics , gene duplication , insect , intron , genomic dna , dna , conserved sequence , peptide sequence , ecology
A 4‐kb DNA segment of Tenebrio molitor (Insecta, Coleoptera) genomic DNA containing two larval‐pupal cuticular genes has been cloned and sequenced. These genes, transcribed in opposite directions, are related in DNA sequence and the proteins encoded are very similar. Each of them contains a single intron located inside the sequence encoding the signal peptide, and a conserved sequence at −200 bp from the mRNA start position. These similarities in sequence suggest that these genes have evolved by duplication followed by diversification and that they are members of a family of genes with a common ancestry. They are the first example of clustered genes in Tenebrio molitor .