Amino acid sequences of two ferredoxins from Phytolacca esculenta. Gene duplication and speciation .

The amino acid sequences of two ferredoxins from Phytolacca esculenta were determined by a combination of solid-phase sequencing and the conventional methods. Ferredoxins I and II were composed of 96 and 98 amino acid residues, respectively, and ferredoxin I showed sequence heterogeneity at two positions. The amino acid sequences of ferredoxins I and II from Phytolacca esculenta were very similar to those of corresponding ferredoxins I and II from Phytolacca americana. Amino acid differences among Phytolacca ferredoxins and other higher plant ferredoxins suggest that duplication of the ferredoxin gene occurred after the divergence of Phytolacca from other higher plants and preceded the separation of two species of Phytolacca.