A maturase-like coding sequence downstream of the OXI2 gene of yeast mitochondrial DNA is interrupted by two GC clusters and a putative end-of-messenger signal

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Abstract
By completing and correcting the sequence of a 1.8 kb DNA segment downstream of the oxi2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a long, potentially coding sequence (“RF2”) has been identified. The sequence is rather closely related to the RF1 open reading frame, downstream of the oxil gene, and, further, to the major family of intronic open reading frames. The RF2 open reading frame is not continuous, however, for it is interrupted by two GC clusters, both of which ultimately result in a −1 frameshift. Comparison with RF1 reveals a third insertion. This is centered on an oligo nucleotide, AATAATATTCTTA, which is found (sometimes in a slightly modified form) downstream of ten proven or suspected protein coding genes, including RF1 and RF2, and is known to terminate the apocytochrome b messenger RNA. It is suggested from the known distribution of this putative “end-of-messenger” signal, that it could play an essential part in controlling the expression of several minor proteins, both intronic and non-intronic. The possibility of the RF2 sequence being functional in spite of its interruptions is also discussed.