Cloning and characterization of a Neurospora crassa ribosomal protein gene, crps-7

A Neurospora crassa ribosomal protein gene, crps-7, was isolated from a genomic DNA library closely linked to the morphological gene ro-2. Sequence analysis and a computerized database search revealed a high degree of homology to the Xenopus laevis rps8 and rat rps7 gene, as well as to uncharacterized ORFs from two yeast species. Comparison with a nearly full-length cDNA clone revealed two introns, one of which is in a conserved position shared with the Xenopus gene. Although a number of sequence motifs common to other N. crassa ribosomal protein genes are present upstream of the crps-7 gene, mRNA abundance is not tightly regulated by carbon availability. Relative transcript levels during nitrogen limitation and thermal stress were also examined.