Nucleotide Sequence of the F1-ATPase α Subunit Gene from Maize Mitochondria

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The α subunit of the F1-ATPase complex of maize is a mitochondrial translational product, presumably encoded by the mitochondrial genome. Based on nucleotide and amino acid homology, we have identified a mitochondrial gene, designated atpα, that appears to code for the F1-ATPase α subunit of Zea mays. The atpα gene is present as a single copy in the maize. Texas cytoplasm and is actively transcribed. The maize α polypeptide has a predicted length of 508 amino acids and a molecular mass of 55,187 daltons. Amino acid homologies between the maize mitochondrial α subunit and the tobacco chloroplast CF1 and Escherichia coli α subunits are 54 and 51%, respectively. The origin of the atpα gene is discussed.