Isolation and sequence analysis of promoter DNA fragments of the Luciferin-binding protein gene inGonyaulax polyedra

Abstract

To understand the unusual features of the genes and genomes fromGonyaulax polyedra, we isolated the promoter portions of the luciferin binding protein (LBP) gene, using IPCR methods, and characterized their sequences. Five LBP genomic clones were classified into a group of genes from the LBPα family, based on the sequence homology of the coding portion of the LBP gene. They were subdivided into two groups. Southern analysis implied that the promoter region is conserved well in most LBP genes. The comparison of the promoter regions from the LBP and luciferase genes showed that, although some portions of their sequences were well conserved, these two genes did not share common features of promoter region, as is normally found in eukaryotes or prokaryotes.