Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify and clone a fragment of a novel fucosyltransferase cDNA from mouse embryonal carcinoma F9 cells. Southern blot analysis of mouse genomic DNA with the cloned cDNA fragment revealed that there is a single copy of the fucosyltransferase gene per haploid genome. A 5 kb EcoRI restriction fragment of the genomic DNA hybridized with the cDNA has been cloned and a 1, 697bp fragment containing the sequence of the cDNA was sequenced. The nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence of the clone showed a highest degree of homology with those of human α-1, 3 fucosyltransferase IV, i.e. 77.1 and 75.5% identity, respectively. Consistent with the sequence similarity, the transfection of a 1, 544bp fragment under the control of the cytomegarovirus enhancer and β actin promoter into COS-1 cells confers α-1, 3 fucosyltransferase activity on the cells, resulting in cell surface expression of SSEA-1.
