TMpcp: a Tuber magnatum gene which encodes a putative mitochondrial phosphate carrier

Little is known about the genome of Tuber, Ascomycetes which comprise a number of ectomycorrhizal species. Screening of a genomic library of Tuber magnatum led to identification of a chitin synthase gene (chs). On sequencing upstream of it in the same phage, we found a 2000 bp long fragment that proved to contain a hypothetical gene with high homology with mitochondrial phosphate carriers from human and bovine heart, and from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sequence contains two putative introns and its open reading frame encodes for a protein 305 amino acids long. A primary sequence analysis revealed 6 hydrophobic segments and a signature pattern, similar to that of other mitochondrial carriers.