Genomic Organization of ancop Gene for ${\alpha}-COP$ Homolog from Aspergillus nidulans

We have cloned a ${\alpha}-COP$ homolog, ancop, from Aspergillus nidulans by colony hybridization of chromosome specific library using ${\alpha}-COP$ homologous fragment as a probe. The probe DNA was amplified with degenerated primers designed by comparison of conserved region of the amino acid sequences of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ${\alpha}-COP$, Homo sapiens HEP-COP, and Drosophila melanogaster ${\alpha}-COP$. Full length cDNA clone was also amplified by RT-PCR. Comparison of genomic DNA sequence with cDNA sequence obtained by RT-PCR revealed 7 introns. Amino acid sequence similarity search of the anCop with other ${\alpha}-COPs$ gave an overall identity of 52% with S. cerevisiae, 47% with human and bovine, 45% with Drosophila and Arabidopsis. In upstream region from the transcription start site, a putative TATA and CAAT motif were also identified.