Abstract
The α-tubulin genes from two psychrophilic algae belonging to the genus Chloromonas (here named ANT1 and ANT3) have been isolated and sequenced. The genes ant1 and ant3 contain 4 and 2 introns, respectively. The coding DNA sequences are 90% identical but the degree of isology is very high at the polypeptide level (more than 97% strict identities). The ANT1 and ANT3 α-tubulin amino acid sequences were compared to the corresponding sequence of the mesophilic alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Of the 15 substitutions detected in ANT1 and/or ANT3, 5 are common to both psychrophilic algae. The recorded substitutions have been analyzed in terms of cold adaptation on the basis of the available three-dimensional structure of the α,β-tubulin heterodimer from pig brain. Most of these are subtle changes, but two substitutions, M268V and A295V occurring in the region of interdimer contacts, could be of great significance for the cold stability of Antarctic algae microtubules due to the fact that the entropic control of microtubule assembly is particularly high in cold adaptes species.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: December 24, 1998 / Accepted: April 2, 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Willem, S., Srahna, M., Devos, N. et al. Protein adaptation to low temperatures: a comparative study of α-tubulin sequences in mesophilic and psychrophilic algae. Extremophiles 3, 221–226 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007920050119
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007920050119