PCR-mediated cloning and sequencing of the DmOST50 gene, a WBP1/AvOST50/OST48 homologue, from Drosophila melanogaster.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides were used in a PCR reaction to amplify the conserved region of the DmOST50 cDNA encoding an oligosaccharyltransferase subunit from Drosophila melanogaster (Dm). The amplified fragment was cloned and sequenced, and was then used as a homologous probe to isolate a DmOST50 cDNA from a lambda ZAP library. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of DmOst50p shows 27.1% identity with the corresponding sequence of the yeast Wbp1p, 62.4% identity with the avian AvOst50p and 62.7% with the canine Ost48p sequences. 17% of all aa residues were found to be identical among all species tested, indicating a high degree of conservation during evolution.