Heterologous expression of human carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) II in yeast: A model for the molecular analysis of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation defects
- Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano (Italy); and others
The CPT enzyme system, which is composed of two distinct mitochondrial membrane-bound proteins (CPT I and CPT II), provides the mechanism whereby long-chain fatty acids are transferred from the cytosol to the mitochondrial matrix to undergo {beta}-oxidation. Here, we report the development of an expression system for investigating genotype/phenotype correlations in CPT II deficiency and, potentially, other mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation defects. To explore yeast as an expression system, we introduced a cDNA encoding the entire human CPT II precursor into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Expression was programmed by using an inducible galactose operon promoter (GAL1). Following induction, human CPT II was expressed at high levels, with activity 4- to 16-fold greater than in human fibroblasts. Levels of expression paralleled those of respiration, being higher in cells grown on a nonfermentable carbon source than in those grown on glucose. Immunoprecipitation of pulse-labeled transformed cells demonstrated that human CPT II expressed in yeast was targeted to mitochondria with correct proteolytic processing of its 25-residue mitochondrial leader sequence. Preliminary results on the expression of a number of mutant CPT II alleles associated with different clinical phenotypes demonstrated the value of this system for examining the functional consequences of disease-causing mutations and investigating genotype/phenotype correlations in patients with CPT II deficiency.
- OSTI ID:
- 133963
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-941009--
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Human Genetics Journal Issue: Suppl.3 Vol. 55; ISSN AJHGAG; ISSN 0002-9297
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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