title: Molecular cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding NGAL: a lipocalin expressed in human neutrophils.
abstract: NGAL, a protein recently isolated from human neutrophils, is a novel member of the lipocalins. NGAL binds a derivative of the bacterial chemotactic peptide formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and may have important immunomodulatory functions. We here report the cloning of a cDNA for NGAL covering a 63 bp 5' untranslated region and the coding region of 591 bp. The cDNA encodes a protein of 197 amino acids, with a 19 amino acid leader sequence and a mature protein of 178 amino acids. Alignment of the cDNA sequence of NGAL to the rat analogue, alpha 2-microglobulin related protein, demonstrates a very high degree of conservation of this lipocalin. Northern blotting of a variety of tissues revealed that NGAL is mainly expressed in myeloid cells, where a signal of approximately 850 bp is observed. A faint signal was observed in fetal and adult human lung tissue. The molecular cloning of the NGAL cDNA allowed the recombinant production of NGAL in E. coli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bundgaard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sengeløv
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Borregaard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger