MOLECULAR-CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MOUSE CGT GENE ENCODINGUDP-GALACTOSE CERAMIDE-GALACTOYSYLTRANSFERASE (CEREBROSIDE SYNTHETASE)

UDP-galactose ceramide galactosyltransferase, CGT, EC 2.4.1.45, is the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of cerebrosides and sulfatides, which are the most abundant glycosphingolipids in the myelin of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The cell-specific an d highly time-regulated expression of the CGT gene is thought to play an important role in oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell differentiation. Three genomic clones encoding the mouse CGT gene were isolated and ch aracterized. The gene is distributed over >42 kb, and the coding seque nce is distributed over five exons ranging from 77 to 822 bp. Putative transcription start sites were determined by primer extension experim ents. The CGT gene locus is highly conserved during evolution. (C) 199 6 Academic Press, Inc.