Sequence identification, chromosomal mapping and tissue specific expression of the porcine paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene

Serum paraoxonase (PON1) plays an important role in protecting low-density lipoprotein against oxidative modification. In this study, the full-length cDNA sequence (1,416 bp) of porcine PON1 was cloned by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. It was found to contain a 1,068 bp open reading frame encoding a deduced protein of 355 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 40.02 kDa. The genomic structure and sequence of porcine PON1 were also analyzed using a bacterial artificial chromosome clone of a Chinese Erhualian pig. The porcine PON1 gene contained nine exons and eight introns spanning approximately 29 kb, and was located on chromosome nine between microsatellite markers SWR915 and SW944 by IMpRH mapping. Porcine PON1 was highly expressed in kidney, followed by liver, lung and small intestine, expressed at an extremely low level in heart, and was hardly expressed in spleen, lymph, muscle of the anterior limb, cerebrum, fat, cerebellum or hypothalamus.