title: Molecular properties of monoamine oxidases A and B.
abstract: Monoamine oxidases A and B (MAO-A and B) catalyze the oxidative catabolism of biogenic amines and xenobiotics. Investigation of these mitochondrial membrane proteins shows that they differ in substrate preference, inhibitor specificity, tissue and neuronal cell distribution, immunological properties, and nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. Comparisons of MAO-A and B from the human, bovine, and rat species show strikingly high similarity (85-88%) in the amino acid sequences of each enzyme. Furthermore, three regions in MAO-A and B have sequence identities across species of 78, 88, and 86%. These regions correspond to a nucleotide-binding site near the N-terminal end that is found in the vast majority of enzymes that require flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), a region of unknown function, and the FAD-binding site toward the C-terminal end. Genomic clones of MAO-B which span almost the entire gene (greater than 40 kb) have been isolated, restriction mapped, and partially sequenced. Likewise, genomic clones of MAO-A that correspond to the 3'-flanking region have also been investigated. Current studies which focus on identification of the promoter and regulatory sequences should help to establish why MAO-A and B are localized in different subsets of neurons in brain.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas, Austin 78712-1074.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Abell
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D015183:Restriction Mapping
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase