title: Rat cystathionine beta-synthase. Gene organization and alternative splicing.
abstract: We elucidated the structure and alternative splicing patterns of the rat cystathionine beta-synthase gene. The gene is 20-25 kilobase pairs long, and its coding region is divided into 17 exons. These are alternatively spliced, forming four distinct mRNAs (types I through IV). The predicted open reading frames encode proteins of 61.5, 39, 60, and 52.5 kDa, respectively. Exons 13 and 16 are used alternatively and mutually exclusively. Exon 13 includes a stop codon and encodes the unique carboxyl-terminal sequence found in types II and IV. Exon 16 is present only in type I. Types I and III, which differ by 42 nucleotides (exon 16), are the predominant synthase mRNA forms in rat liver. Seventeen arginine peptides from pure liver synthase matched the deduced amino acid sequences of types I and III. These two polypeptides are detectable in liver extracts; each exhibits enzymatic activity when expressed in transfected Chinese hamster cells. Synthase shows substantial sequence similarity with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate dependent enzymes from lower organisms. Similarity of synthase to Escherichia coli O-acetylserine (thiol)-lyase (cysK) is 52%; E. coli tryptophan synthase beta chain (trpB), 36%; yeast serine deaminase, 33%. Lysine 116 in synthase aligns with the established pyridoxyllysine residue of these enzymes suggesting that it is the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate binding residue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swaroop
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tahara
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Roper
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kraus
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase