Tsuji K, Copeland N G, Jenkins N A, Obinata M
Department of Cell Biology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Biochem J. 1995 Apr 15;307 ( Pt 2)(Pt 2):377-81. doi: 10.1042/bj3070377.
The MER5 [now called the Aop1 (antioxidant protein 1) gene] was cloned as a transiently expressed gene of murine erythroleukaemia (MEL) cell differentiation and its antisense expression inhibited differentiation of MEL cells. We found that the Aop1 gene shows significant nucleotide sequence similarity to the gene coding for the C22 subunit of Salmonella typhimurium alkylhydroperoxide reductase, which is also found in other bacteria, suggesting it functions as an antioxidant protein. Expression of the Aop1 gene product in E. coli deficient in the C22-subunit gene rescued resistance of the bacteria to alkylhydroperoxide. The human and mouse Aop1 genes are highly conserved, and they mapped to the regions syntenic between mouse and human chromosomes. Sequence comparisons with recently cloned mammalian Aop1 homologues suggest that these genes consist of a family that is responsible for regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation and antioxidant functions.
MER5基因[现称为Aop1（抗氧化蛋白1）基因]作为鼠类红白血病（MEL）细胞分化过程中瞬时表达的基因被克隆出来，其反义表达抑制了MEL细胞的分化。我们发现，Aop1基因与编码鼠伤寒沙门氏菌烷基过氧化氢还原酶C22亚基的基因具有显著的核苷酸序列相似性，该亚基在其他细菌中也有发现，这表明它作为一种抗氧化蛋白发挥作用。Aop1基因产物在缺乏C22亚基基因的大肠杆菌中的表达恢复了该细菌对烷基过氧化氢的抗性。人类和小鼠的Aop1基因高度保守，它们定位于小鼠和人类染色体之间的同线区域。与最近克隆的哺乳动物Aop1同源物的序列比较表明，这些基因构成了一个负责调节细胞增殖、分化和抗氧化功能的家族。
