Chloroplast ATPase genes in the diatom Odontella sinensis reflect cyanobacterial characters in structure and arrangement.

We have cloned and sequenced a 5200 base restriction fragment and an overlapping 3100 base fragment of the large single copy region of the chloroplast genome of the diatom Odontella sinensis, which hybridized to several ATPase gene probes. These fragments contain six closely linked reading frames that were identified as atpI, atpH, atpG, atpF, atpD, and atpA, coding for subunits IV, III, II, I, delta, and alpha, respectively. Remarkably, the genes atpG and atpD, which are nucleus-encoded in chlorophyll a + b plants, are present in the Odontella chloroplast gene cluster. They map at the same positions as in cyanobacteria. The genes atpD and atpF overlap by four base-pairs as in certain photosynthetic and heterotrophic eubacteria. Upstream from the atpA gene cluster an open reading frame coding for 251 amino acid residues was found, which shows sequence similarity to ATP-binding subunits of periplasmic prokaryotic and eukaryotic transport systems. No similar reading frame is present in the land plant chloroplast genomes analysed so far. Sequences and arrangement of the genes are discussed with respect to the peculiar evolution of the chlorophyll a + c-containing chromophytic plastids.