Identification and recombinant expression of anandamide hydrolyzing enzyme from Dictyostelium discoideum.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Anandamide (Arachidonoyl ethanolamide) is a potent bioactive lipid studied extensively in humans, which regulates several neurobehavioral processes including pain, feeding and memory. Bioactivity is terminated when hydrolyzed into free arachidonic acid and ethanolamine by the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). In this study we report the identification of a FAAH homolog from Dictyostelium discoideum and its function to hydrolyze anandamide.

Results

A putative FAAH DNA sequence coding for a conserved amidase signature motif was identified in the Dictyostelium genome database and the corresponding cDNA was isolated and expressed as an epitope tagged fusion protein in either E.coli or Dictyostelium. Wild type Dictyostelium cells express FAAH throughout their d

SUBMITTER: Neelamegan D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3412733 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature