Objective    To study the structure of ribosomal protein L10 (RPL10) gene in giant panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca) and its similarities and difference with the structures of other reported human and mammalian RPL10 genes.     Methods    Primers were designed according to the rep

orted data on the structure of mammalian subunit RPL10 gene. RPL10 gene was cloned from the total RNA in muscle tissue of giant panda using RT-PCR technique and then sequenced with the GenScan software. The sequences of amino acid and cloned gene were compared using DNAMAN Version 6. The functional sites and biochemical properties of RPL10 were analyzed using the Ex2PASy Proteomics Server. The secondary structure of RPL10 was simulated and analyzed as described at the Website (http://www.imtech.res.in/raghava/apssp2).     Results    The length of RPL10 gene in giant panda was 685 bp containing an ORF of 645 bp

encoding 214 amino acids. The relative molecular weight of RPL10 was 24.599 7×10

3

with a PI of 10.74

4 functional sites (2 protein kinase C phosphorylation sites

2 N-myristoylation sites

2 amidation sites

and 1 RPL10e signature site). Further analysis showed that the expression rate of homologous sequences in RPL10 of humans

cattle

dogs

brown rabbits and small rabbits was 92.4%

92.4%

97.21%

88.84% and 89.61%

respectively

which were highly homologous to those (100% and 99.07%) in cattle and other mammals. Moreover

the structure of RPL10 was also similar in all species but not in cattle.     Conclusion    The sequence

structure

and functional site of RPL10 gene or it- encoded amino acid sequence and secondary structure analysis indicate that the genetic stability and function of RPL10 gene in giant panda are consistent with those of RPL10 gene reported in mammals.