title: Gene expression of mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase in a poorly ketogenic mammal: effect of starvation during the neonatal period of the piglet.
abstract: The low ketogenic capacity of pigs correlates with a low activity of mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase. To identify the molecular mechanism controlling such activity, we isolated the pig cDNA encoding this enzyme and analysed changes in mRNA levels and mitochondrial specific activity induced during development and starvation. Pig mitochondrial synthase showed a tissue-specific expression pattern. As with rat and human, the gene is expressed in liver and large intestine; however, the pig differs in that mRNA was not detected in testis, kidney or small intestine. During development, pig mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase gene expression showed interesting differences from that in the rat: (1) there was a 2-3 week lag in the postnatal induction; (2) the mRNA levels remained relatively abundant through the suckling-weaning transition and at maturity, in contrast with the fall observed in rats at similar stages of development; and (3) the gene expression was highly induced by fasting during the suckling, whereas no such change in mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase mRNA levels has been observed in rat. The enzyme activity of mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase increased 27-fold during starvation in piglets, but remained one order of magnitude lower than rats. These results indicate that post-transcriptional mechanism(s) and/or intrinsic differences in the encoded enzyme are responsible for the low activity of pig HMG-CoA synthase observed throughout development or after fasting.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Alho
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asins
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hegardt
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Marrero
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D006904:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology*; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013217:Starvation / Q000201:enzymology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006904:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Synthase