Rat Hemopexin. Molecular cloning, primary structural characterization, and analysis of gene expression

Journal Article · Tue Jan 22 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Biochemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00217a036· OSTI ID:5597097

Nikkilae, H; Muller-Eberhard, U ^[1]; Gitlin, J D ^[2]

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1. Cornell Univ., New York, NY (USA)
2. Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (USA)

A full-length hemopexin cDNA was isolated from a rat liver cDNA library and the derived amino acid sequence was obtained. Rat hemopexin shows a 76% amino acid homology with human hemopexin. The amino-terminal domain of rat hemopexin contains two histidine residues that are conserved in the human and rat sequences and are the most likely heme axial ligands. Analogous to human hemopexin, the rat hemopexin consists of 10 internal repeating peptide motifs characteristic of the pexin gene family. A complete conservation of cysteine residues is seen between the human and rat sequences suggesting an identical disulfide bridge structure in both proteins. The analysis of the primary structure of rat hemopexin reveals characteristics typical for members of the pexin gene family and suggest a conserved evolutionary role for the C-terminal (non-heme-binding) domain of this protein. The full-length rat hemopexin cDNA was used to analyze changes in hemopexin gene expression during development and experimental inflammation. RNA blot analysis showed a single 2.0-kb hemopexin mRNA present in fetal liver at day 14. The data also indicate that typical of the acute-phase response in rodents the regulation of hemopexin synthesis occurs at a pretranslational level. In contrast to many plasma proteins, hemopexin gene expression is entirely confined to the liver during development, inflammation, and tissue injury.

• OSTI ID: 5597097
• Journal Information: Biochemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (United States) Vol. 30:3; ISSN 0006-2960; ISSN BICHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
ANTIGENS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CLONING
CYSTEINE
DNA HYBRIDIZATION
DNA SEQUENCING
DNA-CLONING
ENDOTOXINS
GENE REGULATION
GLYCOPROTEINS
HYBRIDIZATION
LIGANDS
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
MESSENGER-RNA
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RATS
RNA
RODENTS
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
THIOLS
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS
VERTEBRATES