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Molecular cloning of fatty acid-transport protein cDNA from rat
F G Schaap1, L Hamers, G J Van der Vusse
1Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Mitochondrial oxidation of long-chain fatty acids provides the majority of the energy required for cardiac functioning. Several proteins, including the integral membrane protein FATP (Fatty Acid-Transport Protein), are being implicated in the process of myocardial fatty acid uptake. To further characterize the role of FATP in rat myocardial fatty acid utilization, cDNA encoding rat FATP was cloned. The inferred amino acid sequence indicates that rat FATP is highly homologous (97%) with its murine equivalent. Moreover, rodent FATPs share several well-conserved regions with putative counterparts found in yeast and nematode. Given the large evolutionary distance between these species, these regions might be important for protein function. The predicted membrane topology of rat FATP is discussed.