Cloning and characterization of a putative mouse acetyl-CoA transporter cDNA

A mouse acetyl-CoA transporter (Acatn) cDNA was isolated by PCR cloning. Mo use Acatn exhibited 92% homology with human sequence on the basis of amino- acid sequence. The predicted gene product of Acatn is a 61 kDa hydrophobic protein with six to 10 transmembrane domains. Transfection of mouse Acatn c DNA into HeLa/GT3(+) cells resulted in significant increase in the amount o f 9-O-acetylated gangliosides, suggesting that Acatn does play an important role in the acetylation of gangliosides. Northern blot analysis of Acatn m RNA suggested that transcript of Acatn is widely distributed in various adu lt tissues. Expression of Acatn was found to be developmentally regulated, with high expression levels during early embryonic stages, and then there w as a subsequent decrease in expression levels in the later embryonic stages . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.