A human putative Suv3-like RNA helicase is conserved between Rhodobacter and all eukaryotes

We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA of the human homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Suv3 putative RNA helicase which is indispensable for mitochondrial function in yeast. The human Suv-3-like protein has a typical mitochondrial leader sequence. Northern blot data and analysis of ESTs in the data banks indicate that this human gene (SUPV3L1) is expressed in practically all tissues, though at different levels. Sequence homology analysis has shown a strong conservation of the protein in a number of eukaryotic organisms - plants, mammals and fungi, but no close homologues exist in bacteria with the exception of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. This gene is thus ubiquitously present in all eukaryotic organisms.