Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone corresponding to bovine cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein and chromosomal localization of the corresponding human gene.

A bovine adrenal cDNA library was constructed and a clone corresponding to cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein (CRABP) mRNA was isolated and sequenced. The insert of the clone corresponds to 75 bp of the 5' untranslated portion, the whole translated and the complete 3' untranslated portion of the bovine CRABP mRNA. A genomic Southern blot, probed with CRABP cDNA, indicated that only one copy of the gene is present in the human genome. Hybridizing bands in restricted chicken and fish DNA were also observed. Using the CRABP cDNA as probe we have located the human CRABP gene to chromosome 3 in hybridizations to mouse-human, hamster-human and rat-human cell hybrids. In situ hybridizations on rat testis cells probed with CRABP and cellular retinol-binding protein antisense mRNA indicate that both proteins are expressed in tubuli cells.