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Isolation and characterization of a full-length rabbit apolipoprotein E cDNA
Atherosclerosis
|July 1, 1987
Summary
Researchers cloned rabbit apolipoprotein E (apoE) cDNA to study its structure and mRNA regulation. Dietary cholesterol does not affect liver apoE mRNA levels, indicating other mechanisms regulate plasma apoE.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
Background:
- Apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism.
- Understanding apoE's primary structure and gene regulation is vital for lipid disorder research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and sequence rabbit apolipoprotein E (apoE) cDNA.
- To investigate the effect of dietary cholesterol on hepatic apoE mRNA levels in rabbits.
Main Methods:
- Full-length rabbit apoE cDNA cloning and sequencing.
- DNA sequence analysis to determine amino acid composition and homology.
- Northern blot and mRNA dot blot analyses to quantify apoE mRNA levels.
Main Results:
- Rabbit apoE is synthesized as a prepeptide (18 amino acids) and mature protein (293 amino acids).
- Mature rabbit apoE shares 76% amino acid homology with human apoE.
- Dietary cholesterol did not alter the levels of apoE mRNA in rabbit liver.
Conclusions:
- The primary structure of rabbit apoE has been elucidated.
- Elevated plasma apoE in cholesterol-fed rabbits is not mediated by increased hepatic apoE mRNA levels.
- Regulation of plasma apoE levels likely involves post-transcriptional or post-translational mechanisms.