title: Structure of the rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase gene.
abstract: The gene encoding the rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase has been isolated and characterized. Analysis of overlapping genomic clones showed that the cholesterol esterase gene spans approximately 8 kb, containing 11 exons interrupted by 10 introns. The exons ranged in size from 83 to 201 bp except for the last exon, which was 548 bp in length. A TAAATA sequence was present at -31 nucleotides from the transcriptional initiation site. A putative pancreas-specific enhancer sequence was found at -90 bp upstream from the CAP site. Although cholesterol esterase shares three domains of similarity with cholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase, these domains were found to be localized in distinct exons of the cholesterol esterase gene. The organization of the cholesterol esterase gene suggests its divergent evolution with other members of the serine esterase gene family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio 45267-0529.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D002787:Sterol Esterase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004950:Esterases; C022635:serine esterase; D002787:Sterol Esterase