Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding a Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of mammalian alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase: evolutionary switching of peroxisomal targeting signals.

The nucleotide sequence is reported of a cDNA clone encoding a Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of guinea pig and human alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase. The open reading frame encodes a protein of 597 amino acids which shows extensive homology with the mammalian enzymes (52% identical and about 76% similar in the overlapping region). In contrast to the mammalian enzymes, which carry a consensus peroxisomal targeting signal type 2 in a cleavable N-terminal presequence, this Caenorhabditis elegans homolog carries a consensus peroxisomal targeting signal type 1 (CKL) at its C-terminus. Expression of this protein in an in vitro transcription/translation system yielded a 65 kDa protein. Recombinant aenorhabditis elegans alkyl-DHAP synthase expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris was enzymatically active.