GTG as a Potential Translation Initiation Godon in Mitochondrial F1 ATPase $\alpha$-Subunit Gene(atpA) of Korean Ginseng

고려인삼의 $F_1$ ATPase $\alpha$-Subunit 유전자(atpA)의 구조적 특성

The complete open reading frame (ORF) of o-subunit of the $F_1$ ATP synthase (atPA) in Korean ginseng mitochondria was identified by the sequence similarity with atPA genes in other plant mitochondria. The sequence alignment showed that the common translation initiation codon, ATG, in plant genes was replaced with GTG valid codon in Korean ginseng. The atPA gene from GTG to TGA termination codon was 1524 nucleotides long, and the sequence homology of nucleotides and deduced amino acids revealed high values of 92~97%. A deletion event of 6 nucleotides was observed at the 1468th nucleotide from the GTG in Korean ginseng, in contrast to that at the 1450th in other plants such as pea, common bean, soybean, sugar beet, and radish. An unidentified open reading frame (on7) was observed upstream of atmA ORF. No other ATG as an initiation codon was detected in the region between off and atmA ORF in Korean ginseng, although a pyrimidine cluster "TTTTCTTTT" was located in this region as in Oenothera and maize genes. It could be supposed that GTG codon in atpA gene of Korean ginseng mitochondria would act as an initiation codon as in microbial genes.ial genes.