XVI International Botanical Congess

From many angiosperms molecular data are available on the molecular structure of PEP-carboxylase showing a conserved genomic structure. We analyzed the PEPC gene in the conifer Norway spruce confirming the conserved organization of exons and introns with one difference: an additional intron was detected in the 3|UTR. Investigations on the presence of this intron within the Pinaceae are of interest. Thus, for a first understanding different genera/species of this family were sequenced in the 3|UTR. Here we will present our first results indicating an unexpected high degree of conservation of the intron among the analyzed species. Potential usefulness of this intron for further phylogenetic studies are discussed.