Human Branched-chain Alpha-ketoacid Research Articles

Branched chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase, E1-β subunit gene is associated with premature ovarian failure

Genetic variants of the human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase, E1-beta subunit (BCKDHB) gene were identified and they have been associated with premature ovarian failure (POF). Reconstructed haplotype from these variants was also associated with POF.

Structure and Backbone Dynamics of a Lipoyl Domain from Human Mitochondrial Branched-Chain alpha-Ketoacid Dehydrogenase

Structure and Backbone Dynamics of a Lipoyl Domain from Human Mitochondrial Branched-Chain alpha-Ketoacid Dehydrogenase

Structure of the gene encoding dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) component of human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex and characterization of an E2 pseudogene.

We have determined the structural organization of the dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) gene of the human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. The single copy E2 gene spans approximately 68 kilobases of genomic DNA. The complete coding region consisting of the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions, the mitochondrial targeting sequence (61 amino acids), and the mature E2 sequence (421 amino acids) are encoded by 11 exons ranging from 62 to 2239 base pairs. All the donor and acceptor splice sites conform to the gt-ag rule. Sequence analysis of the promoter-regulatory region showed the presence of a "CAAT box"-like sequence 537 bases upstream of the transcription initiation site. The "TATA box"-like sequence is absent. Also located in this region are sequences resembling glucocorticoid-responsive and cAMP-responsive elements, fat-specific elements, and Sp1- and AP-2-binding sites. Several sets of direct and inverted repeats are also present. Promoter assays using human hepatoma cells (Hep-G2) and Swiss mouse preadipocytes (3T3-L1) showed that a 4.1-kilobase PstI fragment upstream of the transcription start site confers high expression of the luciferase reporter gene. Moreover, an intronless E2 pseudogene was isolated. It corresponds to the complete mitochondrial presequence and the lipoyl-bearing domain that are encoded by exons I through IV of the functional E2 gene. However, the E2 pseudogene contains multiple base changes, deletions, and insertions, and is flanked by short direct repeats. The data indicate that the E2 pseudogene is a retroposon.

Structural organization and chromosomal localization of the gene for the E1 beta subunit of human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase

A defect in the E1 beta subunit of the branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex is one cause of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). In an attempt to elucidate the molecular basis of MSUD, we isolated and characterized the cDNA of the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH. Using the cDNA as a probe, a chromosomal gene related to E1 beta subunit of human BCKDH was isolated from human gene libraries. The gene of E1 beta subunit is over 100 kilobases long and is split into 10 exons. All of the splice donor and acceptor sites conform to the GT/AG rule. The transcription initiation site was determined by nuclease S1 mapping and primer extension and was located 47 bases upstream from the initiation codon. A "CAAT" box and its reverse complement sequences were present at 39 bases and 75 bases upstream from the cap site, but there was no "TATA" box-like sequence. There were three sets of sequences resembling the transcription factor Sp1-binding sites and two sets of sequences resembling the enhancer core sequence. We also analyzed the chromosomal localization of the gene for the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH. The gene was mapped to chromosome 6. Knowledge of the gene structure of human BCKDH E1 beta subunit will facilitate further studies on the expression and regulation of this gene and provide necessary information for analyses of mutations in patients with MSUD.

Maple syrup urine disease. Complete primary structure of the E1 beta subunit of human branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex deduced from the nucleotide sequence and a gene analysis of patients with this disease.

A defect in the E1 beta subunit of the branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex is one cause of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). In an attempt to elucidate the molecular basis of MSUD, we isolated and characterized a 1.35 kbp cDNA clone encoding the entire precursor of the E1 beta subunit of BCKDH complex from a human placental cDNA library. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the isolated cDNA clone (lambda hBE1 beta-1) contained a 5'-untranslated sequence of four nucleotides, the translated sequence of 1,176 nucleotides and the 3'-untranslated sequence of 169 nucleotides. Comparison of the amino acid sequence predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert of the clone with the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified mature bovine BCKDH-E1 beta subunit showed that the cDNA insert encodes for a 342-amino acid subunit with a Mr = 37,585. The subunit is synthesized as the precursor with a leader sequence of 50 amino acids and is processed at the NH2 terminus. A search for protein homology revealed that the primary structure of human BCKDH-E1 beta was similar to the bovine BCKDH-E1 beta and to the E1 beta subunit of human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, in all regions. The structures and functions of mammalian alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes are apparently highly conserved. Genomic DNA from lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from normal and five MSUD patients, in whom E1 beta was not detected by immunoblot analysis, gave the same restriction maps on Southern blot analysis. The gene has at least 80 kbp.