Comparison of collagen gene sequences in Ascaris suum and Caenorhabditis elegans

The nucleotide sequences of a 3060-bp fragment containing almost the entire coding sequence of one Ascaris suum collagen gene, and a 3019-bp pair fragment containing the 3' end of another A. suum collagen gene have been determined. The polypeptides encoded by these genes show a striking similarity to two Caenorhabditis elegans cuticular collagens, both in the position of the triple-helical regions and in the position of cysteine residues. The results of Northern blot hybridisation experiments together with dot blot analysis of RNA isolated from different adult worm tissues suggest that one of these genes is expressed in the adult nematode and that it encodes a protein of approximately 30 kDa.