A single gene codes for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase in both neuronal and non-neuronal tissues.
We have sought to determine whether aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase which functions as a neurotransmitter biosynthetic enzyme in neuronal cells can be distinguished from an enzyme with similar activity found in peripheral tissues where no neurotransmitters are synthesized. Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from bovine adrenal medulla, and highly specific antibodies were produced. In addition, a DNA clone complementary to aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase mRNA was isolated by immunological screening of a lambda gt11 cDNA expression library. We have used these antibodies and cDNA probes for biochemical, immunochemical, and molecular analyses. A single form of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase is detected in rat and bovine tissue. Specifically, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase protein is biochemically and immunochemically indistinguishable in brain, liver, kidney, and adrenal medulla. Hybridization to aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase cDNA identifies a single mRNA species of 2.3 kilobase pairs in rat tissue. Furthermore, Southern blot analysis reveals that a single gene codes for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases / Q000235:genetics*; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats
D004247:DNA; D001142:Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases