Table 3.

DNA Sequence Alignment of smez Alleles

Only the 62 variable nucleotides (9.8% of the smez gene) are shown, of which 17 are point mutations for single alleles and 45 are common to 2 or more alleles. Some of the variable sites are linked together, building sequence blocks (shaded gray) within five distinct regions (I–IV). In region III, only two sequence combinations occur, correlating with the two major branches (groups A and B) of the smez family tree (see Fig. 2). Combinations between sequence blocks within the other four regions in different alleles generate gene mosaics.