Isolation and identification of a cDNA clone coding for rat uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase.

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Abstract
A DNA sequence complementary to the mRNA of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UroDCase) from rat was cloned and identified. This mRNA is a minor species (0.1%) of the total mRNA from anemic rat spleen. Poly(A)+ mRNA was enriched for UroDCase mRNA to 20% purity by a very efficient procedure involving 2 successive steps of preparative gel electrophoresis under various denaturing conditions. c[complementary]DNA prepared from partially purified UroDCase mRNA (1% purity) was cloned in the Pst I site of pBR322 by using the homopolymeric G-C tailing method. Primary screening of 500 clones from this cDNA library was performed with a cDNA probe complementary to highly purified mRNA for UroDCase (20% purity) and UroDCase cDNA clones were finally identified by hybrid-selected translation. The rat cDNA clones obtained hybridize to human UroDCase mRNA. This will permit the isolation of the corresponding human gene and molecular analysis of porphyria cutanea tarda, the most common type of porphyria.