title: Cloning, genomic organization, and chromosomal localization of human cathepsin L.
abstract: Cathepsin L is a lysosomal cysteine protease whose expression and secretion is induced by malignant transformation, growth factors, and tumor promoters. Many human tumors express high levels of cathepsin L, which is a broad spectrum protease with potent elastase and collagenase activities. Two published human cathepsin L cDNA sequences differ only in their 5'-untranslated regions. In this study, we demonstrate the concurrent expression of two distinct human cathepsin L mRNAs (hCATL-A and hCATL-B) in adenocarcinoma, hepatoma, and renal cancer cell lines. Cloning of the human cathepsin L gene by polymerase chain reaction amplification of genomic DNA and subsequent sequencing reveals that hCATL-A and hCATL-B mRNAs are encoded by a single gene. The 3' end of the first intron contains the 5' portion of hCATL-B and is contiguous to the second exon of the gene. These data suggest either the possibility of alternative splicing or the presence of a second promoter within the first intron of the hCATL gene. We mapped the hCATL gene to chromosome 9q21-22. Sequencing of both the mouse and human cathepsin L genes demonstrates almost complete conservation of exon and intron position, but significant divergence in intron structure, possibly reflecting differences in regulation of expression of the mouse and human cathepsin L genes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fleischmann
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gottesman
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Troen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D056668:Cathepsin L; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000235:genetics*; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D005091:Exons; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D007624:KB Cells; D007621:Karyotyping; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002403:Cathepsins; D010450:Endopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C534281:CTSL protein, human; D056668:Cathepsin L; C534278:Ctsl protein, mouse