IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL 3-HYDROXY-3-METHYLGLUTARYL COA SYNTHASE IN RAT-LIVER

We report the preparation of specific polyclonal antibodies raised aga inst two synthetic peptides deduced from the DNA sequence for the rat liver mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) sy nthase gene. Immunoelectron microscopy using these antibodies on hepat ic cryoultrathin sections confirms the mitochondrial localization of t his protein in hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence microscopy on frozen se ctions of adult rat liver revealed fluorescence inside all hepatocytes , with no evidence of zonation, indicating that ketogenesis may not be limited to specific regions of rat liver but is extended to all hepat ocytes. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.