Selection of suitable endogenous reference genes for qPCR in kidney and hypothalamus of rats under testosterone influence.

Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is the most reliable and accurate technique for analyses of gene expression. Endogenous reference genes are being used to normalize qPCR data even though their expression may vary under different conditions and in different tissues. Nonetheless, verification of expression of reference genes in selected studied tissue is essential in order to accurately assess the level of expression of target genes of interest. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to examine six commonly used reference genes in order to identify the gene being expressed most constantly under the influence of testosterone in the kidneys and hypothalamus. The reference genes include glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin beta (ACTB), beta-2 microglobulin (B2m), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT), peptidylprolylisomerase A (Ppia) and hydroxymethylbilane synthase (Hmbs). The cycle threshold (Ct) value for each gene was determined and data obtained were analyzed using the software programs NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and rank aggregation. Results showed that Hmbs and Ppia genes were the most stably expressed in the hypothalamus. Meanwhile, in kidneys, Hmbs and GAPDH appeared to be the most constant genes. In conclusion, variations in expression levels of reference genes occur in kidneys and hypothalamus under similar conditions; thus, it is important to verify reference gene levels in these tissues prior to commencing any studies.

Helper-dependent adenovirus achieve more efficient and persistent liver transgene expression in non-human primates under immunosuppression.

Helper-dependent adenoviral (HDA) vectors constitute excellent gene therapy tools for metabolic liver diseases. We have previously shown that an HDA vector encoding human porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) corrects acute intermittent porphyria mice. Now, six non-human primates were injected in the left hepatic lobe with the PBGD-encoding HDA vector to study levels and persistence of transgene expression. Intrahepatic administration of 5 × 10(12) viral particles kg(-1) (10(10) infective units kg(-1)) of HDA only resulted in transient (≈14 weeks) transgene expression in one out of three individuals. In contrast, a more prolonged 90-day immunosuppressive regimen (tacrolimus, mycophenolate, rituximab and steroids) extended meaningful transgene expression for over 76 weeks in two out of two cases. Transgene expression under immunosuppression (IS) reached maximum levels 6 weeks after HDA administration and gradually declined reaching a stable plateau within the therapeutic range for acute porphyria. The non-injected liver lobes also expressed the transgene because of vector circulation. IS controlled anticapsid T-cell responses and decreased the induction of neutralizing antibodies. Re-administration of HDA-hPBGD at week +78 achieved therapeutically meaningful transgene expression only in those animals receiving IS again at the time of this second vector exposure. Overall, immunity against adenoviral capsids poses serious hurdles for long-term HDA-mediated liver transduction, which can be partially circumvented by pharmacological IS.

Liver Transplantation for Acute Intermittent Porphyria: Biochemical and Pathologic Studies of the Explanted Liver.

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal-dominant hepatic disorder caused by the half-normal activity of hydroxymethylbilane (HMB) synthase. Symptomatic individuals experience life-threatening acute neurovisceral attacks that are precipitated by factors that induce the hepatic expression of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1), resulting in the marked accumulation of the putative neurotoxic porphyrin precursors 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG). Here, we provide the first detailed description of the biochemical and pathologic alterations in the explanted liver of an AIP patient who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) due to untreatable and debilitating chronic attacks. After OLT, the recipient's plasma and urinary ALA and PBG rapidly normalized, and her attacks immediately stopped. In the explanted liver, (a) ALAS1 mRNA and activity were elevated approximately ~3- and 5-fold, and ALA and PBG concentrations were increased ~3- and 1,760-fold, respectively; (b) uroporphyrin III concentration was elevated; (c) microsomal heme content was sufficient, and representative cytochrome P450 activities were essentially normal; (d) HMB synthase activity was approximately half-normal (~42%); (e) iron concentration was slightly elevated; and (f) heme oxygenase I mRNA was increased approximately three-fold. Notable pathologic findings included nodular regenerative hyperplasia, previously not reported in AIP livers, and minimal iron deposition, despite the large number of hemin infusions received before OLT. These findings suggest that the neurovisceral symptoms of AIP are not associated with generalized hepatic heme deficiency and support the neurotoxicity of ALA and/or PBG. Additionally, they indicate that substrate inhibition of hepatic HMB synthase activity by PBG is not a pathogenic mechanism in acute attacks.

Conformational stability and activity analysis of two hydroxymethylbilane synthase mutants, K132N and V215E, with different phenotypic association with acute intermittent porphyria.

The autosomal dominantly inherited disease AIP (acute intermittent porphyria) is caused by mutations in HMBS [hydroxymethylbilane synthase; also known as PBG (porphobilinogen) deaminase], the third enzyme in the haem biosynthesis pathway. Enzyme-intermediates with increasing number of PBG molecules are formed during the catalysis of HMBS. In this work, we studied the two uncharacterized mutants K132N and V215E comparative with wt (wild-type) HMBS and to the previously reported AIP-associated mutants R116W, R167W and R173W. These mainly present defects in conformational stability (R116W), enzyme kinetics (R167W) or both (R173W). A combination of native PAGE, CD, DSF (differential scanning fluorimetry) and ion-exchange chromatography was used to study conformational stability and activity of the recombinant enzymes. We also investigated the distribution of intermediates corresponding to specific elongation stages. It is well known that the thermostability of HMBS increases when the DPM (dipyrromethane) cofactor binds to the apoenzyme and the holoenzyme is formed. Interestingly, a decrease in thermal stability was measured concomitant to elongation of the pyrrole chain, indicating a loosening of the structure prior to product release. No conformational or kinetic defect was observed for the K132N mutant, whereas V215E presented lower conformational stability and probably a perturbed elongation process. This is in accordance with the high association of V215E with AIP. Our results contribute to interpret the molecular mechanisms for dysfunction of HMBS mutants and to establish genotype-phenotype relations for AIP.

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR using hybridization probes and imported standard curves for cytokine gene expression analysis.

Quantitative real-time or kinetic RT-PCR is increasingly used for the quantification of specific mRNA targets, especially in clinical applications. To quantify the mRNA of cytokines and their receptors, which play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, we have developed quantitative two-step RT-PCR assays for IL-4, IL-4R, IFN-gamma, IFN-beta, and the housekeeping gene porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD). The LightCycler system was used to quantify the copy numbers with the sequence-specific hybridization probe detection format. The quantification was carried out on the basis of standard curves generated with external homologous plasmids for each different parameter in relation to the gene expression of PBGD. Therefore, this procedure represents a relative quantification method with external standards, as the standard curves were used to obtain an absolute value for the copy numbers of the targets and the reference (PBGD). The new software version 3.5 of the LightCycler system allows the construction of a single parameter-dependent plasmid standard curve for the quantification of unknown samples from different runs. Here we demonstrate how to achieve precise and reproducible quantification, even when using measurements from different PCR runs.

Two course illuminating scheme improves aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy in cell cultures.

Photodynamic therapy with the pro-drug 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA-PDT) is being used for the treatment of Barrett's oesophagus. We postulated that a first early course of ALA-PDT would increase protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) accumulation and thus the efficacy of a second course of ALA-PDT, by manipulating ferrochelatase (FC) and porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-d) activity. Human EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cells were used as a model of human tumour cells for the ability to form haem is present in all cells. After a single course of illumination (633 nm, 100 mW/cm2) the FC activity decreased significantly whereas the PBG-d activity did not change. During continued incubation with ALA following the first illumination, cells accumulated up to four times more PPIX than non-illuminated controls [220% +/- 30% versus (vs) 55% +/- 5%; p<0.001]. Two illuminations resulted in more cell death than one illumination (97% +/- 1% vs 80% +/- 2%; p<0.001). Since a second course of ALA-PDT within 3 hr after the first course resulted in a four fold increase in PPIX accumulation and significantly more cell death, we propose that a two course ALA-PDT scheme might improve the efficacy of this treatment for Barrett's oesophagus.

Cell type-specific mRNA quantitation in non-neoplastic tissues after laser-assisted cell picking.

OBJECTIVE: Cell type-specific mRNA quantitation can be reliably performed after harvesting less than 20 cell profiles from haemalaun-stained cryosections by laser-assisted cell picking. Up to now it has been unclear to what extent these techniques can be used to analyze differential gene expression in complex tissues. METHODS: Using a rat model of experimental endotoxin priming of the lung various pulmonary cell types were microdissected from isolated perfused and ventilated rat lungs after aerosol lipopolysaccharide/interferon-gamma stimulation. RESULTS: Porphobilinogen deaminase housekeeping gene (PBGD) and nitric oxide synthase II (NOSII) mRNA in arterial endothelial cells (AEC), bronchiolar epithelial cells (BEC), alveolar septum containing monocytes/macrophages (AS+), alveolar septum without monocytes/macrophages (AS-) and intraluminar alveolar macrophages (AM) could be quantified by real-time RT-PCR. The strongest upregulation of NOSII mRNA occurred in AM, while minimal NOSII expression was detected in BEC, AS+ and AS-. In AEC NOSII mRNA was not detectable. CONCLUSION: The combination of laser microdissection and real-time RT-PCR is a valuable tool for the quantitative in situ characterization of differential gene expression within complex tissues.

Acute intermittent porphyria: characterization of two novel mutations in the porphobilinogen deaminase gene, one amino acid deletion (453-455delAGC) and one splicing aceptor site mutation (IVS8-1G>T).

A partial deficiency of Porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) is responsible for acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). AIP is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, and the prevalence in the Argentinean population is about 1:125,000. Here, two new mutations and three previously reported were found in the PBG-D gene in 12 Argentinean AIP patients corresponding to 5 different families. To screen for AIP mutations in symptomatic patients, genomic DNA isolated was amplified in 2 Multiplex PCR reactions, then all coding exons and flanking intronic regions were sequenced. The new mutations are 453-455delAGC in exon 9 which results in the loss of an alanine residue at position 152, and one new point mutation in the splicing aceptor site in the last position of intron 8 (IVS8-1G>T) which leds to a 15 bp deletion because a cryptic site (first AG upstream) is used. Both mutations produce amino acid deletion without frameshift effect. To further characterize the 453-455delAGC mutation, the pKK-PBGD construct for the mutant allele was expressed in E. coli, the enzymatic activity of the recombinant protein was 1.3% of the mean level expressed by the normal allele. Finally, three missense mutations, previously reported, were identified in three unrelated families.

Effect of delta-aminolevulinic acid on protoporphyrin IX accumulation in tumor cells transfected with plasmids containing porphobilinogen deaminase DNA.

Recently, we reported that the delta-aminolevulinic acid (delta-ALA)-induced increase in porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) activity was closely correlated with an increase in the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), resulting in augmented phototoxicity. In this report, we asked whether increasing the cellular expression of PBGD by use of gene transfection techniques in vitro would further enhance delta-ALA-induced PPIX accumulation and hence, phototoxicity. For these experiments we constructed plasmid vectors containing the PBGD-DNA, using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-generated cDNA fragment encoded from its published sequence. Subsequently, transfection of the human mammary tumor cell line, MCF-7, and the human mesothelioma cell line, H-MESO-1, with the PBGD-DNA-containing plasmids was shown to produce a 2.5-2.7-fold increase in enzyme activity. Twenty-four hours after completion of the transfection procedure, transfectants were exposed for 3 h to 0.5 mM delta-ALA. Exposure of either wild type or transfectants to delta-ALA led to measurable levels of PPIX. Although this produced a modest but significant increase in intracellular PPIX content in H-MESO-1 cells compared to wild-type cells incubated with delta-ALA alone, the increase above the transfection control did not reach statistical significance. Likewise, a significant increase in PPIX was not observed in transfected MCF-7 cells subsequently exposed to delta-ALA. These data demonstrate that transient transfection of cells with the cDNA of PBGD was successful in elevating enzyme activity in both tumor cell lines, but this did not result in a comparable difference in the levels of PPIX. Such an approach for the study of other enzymes in the heme pathway should provide a model to better define rate-limiting steps in the delta-ALA induction of PPIX, and ultimately, to enhance the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy.

Identification of differentially expressed mRNAs in human fetal liver across gestation.

Differential gene expression, with its precise start and stop times, is believed to be critical for the programmed development of new cells and tissues. Within the developing fetus, one tissue of particular interest is fetal liver. This organ undergoes rapid changes in the pathway toward liver development in utero since it is also the major site of hematopoiesis, until bone marrow hematopoiesis predominates. Believing that patterns would emerge from the bi-weekly large-scale inspection of expressed genes in the fetal liver, we employed differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) as ourprimary inspection tool. Using DDRT-PCR, we isolated cDNAs differentially expressed throughout fetal liver development and in adult liver. We displayed approximately 25 000 cDNAs from 10 and 24 week fetal liver and adult liver. From this initial screen, we determined that approximately 0.1-1% of the mRNA population undergoes expression changes. We extracted, purified and sequenced 25 differentially displayed cDNA bands. Fourteen cDNAs had similarities to known genes, while 11 cDNAs were not similar to any characterized gene. The differentially expressed cDNAs from known genes present in fetal liver include alpha-fetoprotein, stem cell factor, erythroid alpha-spectrin, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase, insulin-like growth factor-2, porphobilinogen deaminase and Mac30. The differentially expressed cDNAs present in adult liver but not in 10 week fetal liver were nicotinamide deaminase, human fibrinogen-related protein and alpha-acid glycoprotein. The majority of differentially expressed genes found during this effort appear to be turned on during organogenesis, however, some genes were found that are apparently turned off completely.

Time-course of butyric acid-induced differentiation in human K562 leukemic cell line: rapid increase in gamma-globin, porphobilinogen deaminase and NF-E2 mRNA levels.

Butyric acid (BA) was shown to induce hemoglobinization of K562 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The maximal differentiation (54% of hemoglobinized cells) was obtained with the 0.5 mM concentration, which induced a 60% inhibition of cell growth at day 3 without cytotoxicity. Parallel to the kinetics of hemoglobinization, a rapid increase in gamma-globin and porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) mRNAs was observed in BA-treated cells. This increase was time-dependent and higher for gamma-globin than for PBGD (six- and two-fold at day 3, respectively). In contrast, erythropoietin receptor mRNAs were not affected by BA treatment. Analysis of erythroid transcription factor mRNA levels during the time course of BA treatment showed, for the first time, an early and marked (up to three-fold) increase in p45 NF-E2 mRNA, contrasting with that of GATA-1 mRNA (<1.5-fold). Taken together, these results showed the rapid differentiating effect of BA and suggest the involvement of the NF-E2 transcription factor.

Steady-state transcript levels of the porphobilinogen deaminase gene in patients with acute intermittent porphyria.

PCR-based solid-phase minisequencing method was used to analyze the steady-state mRNA levels of the porphobilinogen deaminase gene in eight patients with acute intermittent porphyria. The patients had the earlier characterized mutations 517C --> T (R173W), 518G --> A (R173Q), 673C --> G (R225G), 673C --> T (R225X), 713T --> G (L278P), and 1073delA (frame shift). All mutations, except the missense mutation 517C --> T in exon 10, affected the steady-state transcript levels of the mutant allele. The mutant mRNA levels in lymphocytes varied from 5% to 95% of the corresponding wild-type allele levels. In contrast to the CRIM-negative mutation 517C --> T, the CRIM-positive mutation in the same codon 518G --> A resulted in reduction of the steady-state transcript level of the mutant allele to 65% of that of the normal allele. The two mutations, 673C --> G or T, affecting the same nucleotide in exon 12 also differed considerably in their effect on mRNA levels: The transcript level of the allele with a missense mutation was decreased to 80% of that of the normal allele, whereas a nonsense mutation at the same position resulted in a dramatic decrease (fivefold) in the levels of the mutant transcript. Our data showed large variations between the levels of mutant transcript in AIP patients and these variations did not correlate either to CRIM class, to the location of the disease causing mutation in the PBGD gene, or to the clinical phenotype of AIP.

Evidence for distinct regulation processes in the aclacinomycin- and doxorubicin-mediated differentiation of human erythroleukemic cells.

Human erythroleukemic K 562 cells were induced to were induced to differentiate along the erythroid lineage by anthracycline antitumor drugs, such as aclacinomycin (ACLA) and doxorubicin (DOX). Subsequent stimulation of heme and globin synthesis led to a differential quantitative expression of hemoglobins. Gower 1 (epsilon2, zeta2) was the major type for ACLA and X (epsilon2, gamma2) for DOX. Although ACLA and DOX increased both the expression of gamma-globin and porphobilinogen deaminase mRNAs, striking differences were observed in the expression of erythropoietin receptor mRNAs and in erythroid transcription factors GATA-1 and NF-E2, known to play a key role in erythroid gene regulation. Indeed, ACLA induces an increase either in the binding capacity of GATA-1 and NF-E2 or in the accumulation of erythropoietin receptor, GATA-1 and NF-E2 transcripts. In contrast, their expression with DOX was not significantly modified compared to uninduced cells, except for a slight decrease in NF-E2 expression on day 3. In conclusion, these data show that: 1. increased expression of erythroid transcription factors and erythroid genes are associated only with ACLA treatment, and 2. although cytotoxicity of both ACLA and DOX is certainly dependent on DNA intercalation, regulation of differentiation processes by these two drugs involves distinct mechanisms.

Overexpression in Escherichia coli of 12 vitamin B12 biosynthetic enzymes.

The first 12 enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of vitamin B12 from its five-carbon precursor, aminolevulinic acid, have been overexpressed in recombinant strains of Escherichia coli. The activity of each enzyme has been demonstrated by the biosynthesis of hydrogenobyrinic acid from aminolevulinic acid.

Acute intermittent porphyria: diagnostic conundrums.

Acute intermittent prophyria is a genetic disorder of haem biosynthesis caused by defects in the gene encoding hydroxymethylbilane synthase on the long arm of chromosome 11. Every effort should be made to identify gene carriers amongst the relatives of patients known to have acute intermittent porphyria as they are at risk of developing potentially fatal neurogenic attacks if exposed to precipitating factors. Erythrocyte hydroxymethylbilane synthase activity was determined in 46 members of two large well characterised families by assaying enzyme activity by both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and fluorimetric assays. Additionally, hydroxymethylbilane synthase immunoreactivity was determined by a sandwich-type ELISA. Statistically significant correlations were observed between erythrocyte hydroxymethylbilane synthase activity assayed by HPLC and by the fluorimetric assay, and enzyme protein concentration (r = 0.85, p < 0.001 and r = 0.80, p < 0.001, respectively). The assay of hydroxymethylbilane synthase immunoreactive concentration in erythrocytes was useful in excluding acute intermittent porphyria in one patient in whom unequivocal assignment of porphyric status was not possible by assaying enzyme activity alone. Erythrocyte hydroxymethylbilane synthase activity assayed by HPLC and fluorimetry showed approximately equal diagnostic performances, both giving rise to a dichotomic distribution of values, with overlap zones of 6% (1/16) and 22% (2/9), respectively, at the "cut off" applied.

Impaired erythroid-specific gene expression in cAMP-dependent protein kinase-deficient murine erythroleukemia cells.

Murine erythroleukemia cells rendered deficient in cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) activity by gene transfection are severely impaired in hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA)-induced differentiation (Pilz, R. B., Eigenthaler, M., and Boss, G. R. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 16161-16167). We now demonstrate that the A-kinase-deficient cells produce hemoglobin normally in response to exogenous hemin and that the heme precursor delta-aminolevulinate (delta-ALA) significantly increases HMBA-induced synthesis of heme and globin chains in these cells; these data suggest that impaired heme synthesis is at least partially responsible for the cells' deficient hemoglobin synthesis. HMBA-induced expression of the erythroid-specific delta-ALA synthetase, porphobilinogen deaminase, and beta-globin mRNAs was less in A-kinase-deficient cells than in parental cells and was reduced in proportion to the cells' residual A-kinase activity; relative transcription rates of these genes were reduced concordantly. Impaired expression of these three erythroid-specific genes was a feature of many independently-derived A-kinase-deficient clones, and normal expression was found in transfectants with normal A-kinase activity. The A-kinase-deficient cells did not exhibit a generalized defect in gene regulation since mRNA expression and transcription rates of H- and L-ferritin, c-myc, c-myb, and several housekeeping enzymes were similar in HMBA-treated parental and A-kinase-deficient cells. Our data suggest that A-kinase may be involved in regulating genes with erythroid-specific promoters and provide further evidence for heme as a regulator of globin chain synthesis.

Structure and expression of chloroplast-localized porphobilinogen deaminase from pea (Pisum sativum L.) isolated by redundant polymerase chain reaction.

Porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase catalyzes the polymerization of four PBG monopyrrole units into the linear tetrapyrrole hydroxymethylbilane necessary for the formation of chlorophyll and heme in plant cells. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers were designed based on amino acid sequence data (generated by mass spectrometry) for purified PBG deaminase from pea (Pisum sativum L.) chloroplasts. These primers were used in TaqI polymerase-catalyzed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to produce partial cDNA and nuclear genomic fragments encoding the enzyme. Subsequently, a 1.6-kb cDNA was isolated by screening a cDNA library constructed in lambda gt11 from leaf poly(A)+ RNA with the PCR products. The cDNA encodes an approximately 40-kD polypeptide containing a 46-amino acid NH2-terminal transit peptide and a mature protein of 323 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature pea enzyme is similar to PBG deaminases from other species and contains the conserved arginine and cysteine residues previously implicated in catalysis. Northern blot analysis indicates that the pea gene encoding PBG deaminase is expressed to varying levels in chlorophyll-containing tissues and is subject to light induction.

Initiation of transcription of the erythroid promoter of the porphobilinogen deaminase gene is regulated by a cis-acting sequence around the cap site.

Although the erythroid-specific promoter of human porphobilinogen deaminase [PBGD] gene has no TATA box, transcription is initiated at a single nucleotide. Using 5' and 3' deletions and point mutations, we have identified an element, located around the initiation site, which is necessary and sufficient for 'in vitro' accurate initiation of transcription. This 15 bp element extends 1 bp 5' and 14 bp 3' from the initiation site. It is composed of two regions, a proximal region centred on the cap site and a distal region which bears homology with the TdT initiator element. We show that a nuclear factor, present both in erythroid and non erythroid cells, binds the distal PBGD initiator element. Lack of heat inactivation suggests that initiation of transcription mediated by this element is not TFIID dependent. By transfection into erythroid cells, we also show that the proximal PBGD initiator element is essential for the selection of the initiation site but not for the regulation of transcription of the PBGD erythroid promoter during erythroid differentiation.

Isolation and characterisation of a cDNA clone for a chlorophyll synthesis enzyme from Euglena gracilis. The chloroplast enzyme hydroxymethylbilane synthase (porphobilinogen deaminase) is synthesised with a very long transit peptide in Euglena.

A cDNA expression library was constructed from light-grown Euglena gracilis poly(A)-rich RNA in lambda gt11. Antibodies to Euglena hydroxymethylbilane synthase, the third enzyme in the porphyrin biosynthetic pathway, were used to screen the library and a clone encoding part of the sequence of hydroxymethylbilane synthase was identified. This was used to rescreen the library and a full-length clone was isolated, which encoded not only the entire mature protein (Mr 36,927), but also an N-terminal extension of 139 amino acids. The deduced Mr of the whole polypeptide is 51,744, which corresponds to the size of the protein immunoprecipitated from the translation products of Euglena poly(A)-rich RNA. The mature protein is 60-70% similar to hydroxymethylbilane synthase from human erythrocytes and Escherichia coli. The sequence of the N-terminal extension has similarities to both the transit peptides of chloroplast proteins and those for the endoplasmic reticulum. This is the first report both of a cDNA clone for an enzyme of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway and of a putative transit peptide for a nuclear-encoded Euglena protein.