SEQUENCE OF THE NEW DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER SMALL HEAT-SHOCK-RELATED GENE, LETHAL(2) ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE [L(2)EFL], AT LOCUS 59F4,5

In this study, we report the molecular cloning of a novel Drosophila melanogaster small heat-shock (HS)-homologous gene, l(2)efl, identified on the right arm of the second chromosome at locus 59F4,5. We describe the temporal expression of l(2)efl in the wild-type and present its structure. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the Efl protein shows significant homology to all known small HS proteins identified in Drosophila and vertebrates, and to mammalian alpha-crystallin.