Molecular cloning, chromosomal localization, tissue mRNA levels, bacterial expression, and enzymatic properties of human NMN adenylyltransferase

A 1329-base pair clone isolated from a human placenta cDNA library contains a full-length 837-base pair coding region for a 31.9-kDa protein whose deduced primary structure exhibits high homology to consensus sequences found in other NMN adenylyltransferases. Northern blotting detected a major 3.1-kilobase mRNA transcript as well as a minor 4.1-kilobase transcript in all human tissues examined. In several cancer cell lines, lower levels of mRNA expression were clearly evident. The gene encoding the human enzyme was mapped to chromosome band 1p32-35. High efficiency bacterial expression yielded 1.5 mg of recombinant enzyme/liter of culture medium. The molecular and kinetic properties of recombinant human NMR adenylyltransferase provide new directions for investigating metabolic pathways involving this enzyme.