Folate binding protein: molecular characterization and transcript distribution in pig liver, kidney and jejunum

Folate-binding protein (FBP) was identified and characterized in a pig liver cDNA library by screening with a 0.6 kb fragment from the cDNA of FBP from a human KB cell cancer line. The cDNA of pig liver FBP included 1230 bp containing 759 bp in the open reading frame with 80% similarity to the human placenta FBP. The deduced 253 amino acid sequence showed 67–73% similarity to previous sequences and contained 16 conserved cysteine residues, 11 tryptophan potential folate-binding sites, three sites for N-linked glycosylation and 14 hydrophobic C-terminal residues. Northern analysis and reverse transcriptase PCR identified transcripts in pig liver and kidney, but not in jejunal mucosa. Although defining the molecular structure of pig liver FBP, these studies suggest that this protein participates in the regulation of folate uptake by liver and kidney membranes but is not involved in folate absorption.