title: The mitochondrial uncoupling protein gene. Correlation of exon structure to transmembrane domains.
abstract: The mitochondrial uncoupling protein, a protein essential for the thermogenic properties of brown fat in mammals, is inserted in the inner mitochondrial membrane by means of six alpha-helical hydrophobic transmembrane domains. We have sequenced a complete cDNA and parts of the gene to determine that the mitochondrial uncoupling protein gene is composed of six exons, each of which encodes a transmembrane domain. We also show that transcription of the uncoupling protein gene is from a single start site; however, the use of alternative poly(A) addition signal sequences results in two mRNAs, the major species of 1221 nucleotides, not including the poly(A) tail, and a minor species of about 1600 nucleotides. The 5'-untranslated region of the mRNA is composed of 231 nucleotides, and the 3'-untranslated region contains 81 nucleotides prior to addition of the poly(A) tail.
authors.affiliation: Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kozak
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: U C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Kozak
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D005091:Exons; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007438:Introns; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D004247:DNA