The plasma membrane H+-ATPase gene family in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae

To identify genes that encode plasma membrane H+-ATPases in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae two sets of degenerate primers matching highly conserved motifs present in all plant and fungal ATPases were designed. Nested PCR-amplification of G. mosseae genomic DNA using the designed degenerate primers was carried out. Sequence analysis of the cloned PCR products identified five different clones (GmHA1. GmHA2, GmHA3, GmHA4 and GmHA5) encoding putative plasma membrane H+-ATPases. Comparison of the deduced amino-acid sequences of GmHA1-GmHA5 indicate that GmHA1. GmHA3 and GmHA4 are highly identical, while GmHA2 and GmHA5 are more divergent. The evolutionary and functional significance of the divergence found among the different members of the H+-ATPase gene family in G. mosseae is discussed.