Evidence for the main foot protein gene in Perna perna (Mollusca, Mytilidae).

Here, we investigated the gene that encodes the main protein component of the byssus in Perna perna (Ppfp) using a consensus fluorescent probe for the Mytilus group and by polymerase chain reaction amplification using specific and random primers. A 524-bp fragment resulting from polymerase chain reaction amplification was found to be homologous to the fp-1 gene of Mytilus coruscus. This fragment was identified as the 3' end of the Ppfp-1 gene, which included the heptapeptide coding sequence for Lys-Pro-Ser-Tyr-Pro-Pro-Ter (probably the incomplete last tandem repeat unit of the giant exon), the stop codon and the polyadenylation signal.