Molecular cloning and identification of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1 family genes (eIF1, eIF1A and eIF1B) in Leymus chinensis (Trin.)

Abstract

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1 family genes (eIF1, eIF1A and eIF1B) play important roles in the 43S complex formation during the mRNA translation of protein synthesis. In particular, eIF1A is stabilizing the binding of Met-tRNA to the 40S ribosomal subunit, promoting the mRNA binding and preventing the premature association of the 40S ribosomal subunit to the 60S ribosomal subunit. eIF1 helps the mRNA scanning for the location recognition of the AUG initiation codon. However, little is known for another eIF1 family gene – eIF1B, especially in plants. In this work, we collected a high salt-tolerant grass Leymus chinensis (Trin.) as the object of our study. We cloned and sequenced the eIF1 family genes from this species. Based on the DNA sequence alignment and the analysis of existing sequences in NCBI’s GenBank database, effective primer sets, specific for L. chinensis, were newly designed. Using these primer sets, the full-length cDNAs of corresponding eIF1 family genes were obtained, and we had submitted these sequencing results to NCBI's GenBank database. The basic local alignment search tool result showed that our sequences were highly identical to relevant existing eIF1 family genes in NCBI's GenBank database. Combined with existing sequence sources, we also constructed phylogenetic trees to further understand the relationship between eIF1 family genes of L. chinensis and other species. This work would provide more eIF1 sequence sources and will lay the foundations for studying and further understanding of the eIF1 gene functions in stress tolerance mechanisms.