Molecular Biology and Biochemical Mechanisms of Marine Microorganisms

摘要

Dinoflagellate genes of interest, including those associated with bioluminescence, were isolated from a Gonyaulax polyedra cDNA library by PCR amplification, screening by homologous probes or antibodies. Sequences were compared to those in gene and protein data bases to gain insight into the evolutionary status of G. polyedra. Genomic sequences were used to look for the existence of introns, the +1 site of the mRNAs, and to identify promoter sequences. Cloned sequences were expressed in E. coli as fusion proteins and activities determined by standard assays. The luciferase gene was discovered to possess three contiguous and homologous repeated sequences, each having luciferase activity as an individual peptide expressed in E. coli.