Cloning of a cDNA encoding rat aldehyde dehydrogenase with high activity for retinal oxidation.
Retinoic acid (RA), an important regulator of cell differentiation, is biosynthesized from retinol via retinal by a two-step oxidation process. We previously reported the purification and partial amino acid (aa) sequence of a rat kidney aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isozyme that catalyzed the oxidation of 9-cis and all-trans retinal to corresponding RA with high efficiency [Labrecque et al. Biochem. J. 305 (1995) 681-684]. A rat kidney cDNA library was screened using a 291-bp PCR product generated from total kidney RNA using a pair of oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers matched with the aa sequence. The full-length rat kidney ALDH cDNA contains a 2315-bp (501 aa) open reading frame (ORF). The aa sequence of rat kidney ALDH is 89, 96 and 87% identical to that of the rat cytosolic ALDH, the mouse cytosolic ALDH and human cytosolic ALDH, respectively. Northern blot and RT-PCR-mediated analysis demonstrated that rat kidney ALDH is strongly expressed in kidney, lung, testis, intestine, stomach and trachea, but weakly in the liver.
Bhat
P V
PV
Laboratory of Nutrition and Cancer, Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Labrecque
J
J
Boutin
J M
JM
Lacroix
A
A
Yoshida
A
A
D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D012172:Retinaldehyde