Cloning and characterization a novel human 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase gene AGPAT7

The 1-Acylglycerolphosphate acyltransferase is crucial enzyme for synthesis of glycerolipids as well as triacylglylcerol biosynthesis in eukaryotes. Six members of 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family in human have been described, which were AGPAT1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Here we report the cloning and characterization of another novel human 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase member AGPAT7 (1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 7) gene, which was mapped to human chromosome 15q14. The AGPAT7 cDNA is 1898 bp in length, encoding a putative protein with 524 amino acid residues, which contains an acyltransferase domain in 123-234 aa. RT PCR amplification in 18 human tissues indicated that human AGPAT7 gene was widely expressed in uterus, thymus, pancreas, skeletal muscle, bladder, stomach, lung and testis. AGPAT7 protein was mainly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in Hela cells.