COMPLETE NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE AND TISSUE-SPECIFIC EXPRESSION OF THE RAT PHENYLETHANOLAMINE N-METHYLTRANSFERASE GENE

The rat phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) gene was isolate d from a genomic library by cross-hybridization with a bovine PNMT cDN A probe. Complete nucleotide sequence analysis of a genomic clone show ed that this gene contained three exons and spanned about 2.8 kb in le ngth. There were the acute-phase response element, TATA, SP1, and GRE sequences. The physicochemical properties of rat adrenal PNMT were dif ferent from those of the brainstem PNMT. However, northern blot and re verse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the rat PNMT gene may not express the multiple forms of mRNA. These resul ts suggest that the rat PNMT gene might produce a single enzyme protei n, whose activity may be differentially modulated by tissue-specific e nvironment in the central and peripheral systems.