engleski

Genomic structure of p63, the ancestral gene of the p53 family, in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

P53 family genes play a key role in cell cycle control and maintenance of genetic stability. The family consists of three genes: p53, p63 and p73 ; all sharing a remarkable structural and functional similarity. The presence of genotoxic pollutants in the sea causes changes at molecular and cellular levels in various organisms. Such stressful conditions change the expression levels and activity of various genes including the p53 family. One of the well recognized bioindicator organisms of genotoxic stress is a common blue mussel (Mytilus sp.) because it is a sessile, filter feeding marine animal with a worldwide coastal water distribution. Standard molecular biology methods, including genomic DNA extraction, polimerase chain reaction, cloning and sequencing, were used to obtain the genomic sequence of p53 family homolog in Mytilus galloprovincialis. The exon/intron architecture and deduced protein sequences were analysed and compared to p53 family sequences from other organisms found in the GenBank database and revealed a conserved gene structure among different organisms. Our analysis reinforced the previous conclusion that invertebrates have only one gene of the p53 family which radiated into three genes only in vertebrates. The presented genomic structure of Mytilus galloprovincialis p53 family homolog shows to be most similar to p63 in vertebrates and supports the notion that p63 is the ancestral gene of the p53 family. This is in accordance with our previous work performed with partial cDNA and genomic sequences of Mytilus galloprovincialis.

p53 family ; invertebrates ; pollution

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