Cloning and Analysis of a Novel Gene Encoding N-terminal
Acetyltransferase Subunit

HE Yun-Gang, XIE Yong-Fang, CHEN Yao, QIAN Wei,LAI Jian-Hua, TAN De-Yong^*
( Biotechnology Department,Yunnan University,Kunming 650091,China )

Abstract    N-terminal acetylation is the most common modification in eukaryotic proteins,affecting stability and activity of proteins.NatA is one of the N-terminal acetytransferases in yeast.It is composed of two subunits, NAT1 and ARD1. Defect in one of them leads to loss of activity of NatA. Null mutant of NAT1 in yeast exhibits a variety of phenotypes, including depression of a silent mating type locus (HML), failing to enter G₀ in poor nutrient situations and chromosomes instability.Based on homology of NAT1 between yeast and other organisms,the full-length CDS (coding sequence) of HNAT1 was cloned and sequenced. Result of in situ hybridization in testis of rat showed that expression of NAT1 was high and its expression was different in different phases of spermatogenesis.The gene may play an important role in spermatogenesis.
Key words    N-terminal acetyltransferase; spermatogenesis; in situ hybridizaion; gene cloning

^*Corresponding author: Tel,86-0871-5032061;e-mail, [email protected]