Structure and origin of a tandem duplication of a Drosophila metallothionein gene
A strain of cadmium-resistant Drosophila was isolated that contained a chromosomal duplication of the metallothionein gene, Mtn. This duplication was a direct, tandem repeat of 2.2 kilobases of DNA: 228 bases of 5' flanking DNA, the entire transcription unit, and 1.4 kilobases of 3' flanking DNA. The entire duplication was cloned and DNA sequences of the regions relevant to the duplication process were determined. Comparison of the sequences of the 5' and 3' boundaries revealed no extensive regions of similarity, thus indicating that this duplication was formed by nonhomologous breakage and reunion. Recently, results of similar analyses by other investigators have suggested that this process was involved in the origin of three other eukaryotic duplications. The authors have observed a chi-like sequence near one of the boundaries of each duplication, and therefore suggest that this sequence may be important in generating one of the breaks required for duplication formation.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- OSTI ID:
- 5649178
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8611204-
- Journal Information:
- Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Vol. 184:4; Conference: Annual meeting of the Southeast Section of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 13 Nov 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CADMIUM
TOXICITY
GENES
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
TRANSCRIPTION
DNA
DNA SEQUENCING
DROSOPHILA
METALLOTHIONEIN
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
DIPTERA
ELEMENTS
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
METALLOPROTEINS
METALS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology