Exon organisation of the mouse gene encoding the Adrenoleukodystrophy related protein (ALDRP)

ALDR is one of the four genes encoding an ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) hemi-t ransporter of the peroxisomal membrane so far identified in mammalian cells , The best known of these is X-ALD, whose dysfunction has been causally ass ociated with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. ALDR and X-ALD protein product are closely related and we show here that this striking conservation is mai ntained at the genomic level, Although extending to a larger genomic region , the organisation of the mouse ALDR gene mirrors exactly that of X-ALD. Th is supports further the hypothesis that among the four known peroxisomal AB C hemi-transporters ALDRP is the most likely candidate as a modifier contri buting to the phenotypic variability of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.