Cloning of the cDNA and genomic DNA that correspond to the recA-like gene of Drosophila melanogaster

We have isolated a cDNA homologous to the yeast DMC1 and RAD51 genes from Drosophila melanogaster. The DMC1 and RAD51 genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are known to play crucial roles during meiosis and during both meiosis and mitosis, respectively, and their gene products are homologous to each other and to the RecA protein of Escherichia coli. The cDNA cloned here contains an open reading frame that encodes 336 amino acids. Sequence analysis of the corresponding genomic DNA fragment showed one short intron existing in the coding region as in the DMC1 gene, but not in the RAD51 gene. By in situ hybridization to the salivary gland chromosomes, the recA-like gene was cytologically mapped to 99D of the third chromosome.