Molecular Characterization of SerH3, a Tetrahymena thermophila Gene Encoding a Temperature-Regulated Surface Antigen

Abstract

The DNA sequences of a cDNA clone and the macronuclear genomic fragment corresponding to the functional copy of the SerH3 surface antigen gene of Tetrahymena thermophila were determined. Primer extension and nuclease protection assays show that the SerH3 transcription unit is 1,425 nucleotides long and contains no introns. The predicted polypeptide encoded by the SerH3 gene has a molecular mass of 44,415 daltons; one-third of its 439 residues are either cysteine, serine, or threonine. The central half of the polypeptide consists of three homologous domains in tandem array; within these domains, the cysteine, proline, and tryptophan residues occur in highly regular patterns.