Structure of the Rat Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Gene: Evidence for an Alternative Promoter Usage |
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| Authors: | Soonjung L Hahn† Mounou Hahn† Un Jung Kang Tong H Joh |
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| Institution: | Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Burke Medical Research Institute, Cornell University Medical College, White Plains, New York;?Program in Molecular Biology, Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, New York, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase catalyzes the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. This enzyme is also expressed in nonneuronal tissues. Two reported cDNA sequences show that the pheochromocytoma message differs from the liver message only at the 5'untranslated region. We present the complete exonal organization and promoter sequences of the rat gene encoding this enzyme. The rat aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene is composed of two promoters and 16 exons spanning more than 80 kb in the genome. The first exon carries the majority of the 5'untranslated sequence of the liver cDNA, and the second exon carries that of the pheochromocytoma cDNA. In the third exon, there are two alternatively utilized splicing acceptors specific to the first and second exons. Therefore, both alternative promoter usage and alternative splicing are operative for the differential expression of this gene. The sequence of each promoter region shows putative binding sites for octamer factors and AP-2. |
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| Keywords: | Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase Gene structure Dual promoters Alternative splicing |
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