Divergent sequences in the 5' region of cDNA suggest alternative splicing as a mechanism for the generation of carnitine acetyltransferases with different subcellular localizations.
We identified two partially overlapping cDNAs containing divergent 5' sequences of human carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT). cDNA  lambda SM-1400 extends the sequence of peroxisomal CAT, whereas cDNA lambda SM-1200 creates a new open reading frame encoding a putative mitochondrial leader peptide. An intron is located where sequences diverge, suggesting that mitochondrial, peroxisomal and possibly endoplasmic reticulum CAT mRNAs derive from alternative splicing of the CAT gene.
Corti
O
O
Istituto Nazionale Neurologico C. Besta, Divisione di Biochimica e Genetica, Milano, Italia.
DiDonato
S
S
Finocchiaro
G
G
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000201:enzymology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase; D002332:Carnitine O-Acetyltransferase