title: Rat apolipoprotein E mRNA. Cloning and sequencing of double-stranded cDNA.
abstract: A 900-base pair clone corresponding to rat liver apolipoprotein E (apo-E) mRNA, and containing a 3'-terminal poly(A) segment, was identified from a library of rat liver cDNA clones in the plasmid pBR322 by specific hybrid selection and translation of mRNA. A restriction endonuclease DNA fragment from this recombinant plasmid was used to clone the 5'-terminal region of the apo-E mRNA by primed synthesis of cDNA. A portion of the double-stranded cDNA corresponding to the 3'-terminal region of apo-E mRNA was subcloned into the bacteriophage M13mp7 and employed as a template for the synthesis of a radioactively labeled, cDNA hybridization probe. This cDNA probe was used in a RNA-blot hybridization assay that showed the length of the apo-E mRNA to be about 1200 nucleotides. The hybridization assay also demonstrated that apo-E mRNA is present in rat intestine, but at about a 100-fold lower level than that of the rat liver. The nucleotide sequence of rat liver apo-E mRNA was determined from the cloned, double-stranded cDNAs. The amino acid sequence of rat liver apo-E was inferred from the nucleotide sequence, which showed that the mRNA codes for a precursor protein of 311 amino acids. A comparison to the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of rat plasma apo-E indicated that the first 18 amino acids of the primary translation product are not present in the mature protein and are probably removed during co-translational processing. The coding region was flanked by a 3'-untranslated region of 109 nucleotides, which contained a characteristic AAUAAA sequence that ended 13 nucleotides from a 3'-terminal poly(A) segment. At the 5'-terminal region of the mRNA, 23 nucleotides of an untranslated region were also determined. The inferred amino acid sequence of mature rat apo-E, which contains 293 amino acids, was compared to the amino acid sequence of human apo-E, which contains 299 amino acids. Using an alignment that permitted a maximum homology of amino acids, it was found that overall, 69% of the amino acid positions are identical in both proteins. The amino acid identities are clustered in two broad domains separated by a short region of nonhomology, an NH2-terminal domain of 173 residues where 80% are identical, and a COOH-terminal domain of 84 residues where 70% are identical. These two domains may be associated with specific functional roles in the protein.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011061:Poly A / Q000235:genetics; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes