Fatty acid transport proteins

Abstract

A family of fatty acid transport proteins (FATPs) mediate transport of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) across cell membranes into cells. These proteins exhibit different expression patterns among the organs of mammals. Nucleic acids encoding FATPs of this family, are described. Also described are methods to test FATPs for fatty acid transport function, and methods to identify inhibitors or enhancers of transport function. The altering of LCFA uptake by administering to the mammal an inhibitor or enhancer of FATP transport function of a FATP can decrease or increase calories available as fats, and can decrease or increase circulating fatty acids. The organ specificity of FATP distribution can be exploited in methods to direct drugs, diagnostic indicators and so forth to an organ.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 7.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.6.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:7.  
     
     
         4 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:7.  
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein  3 , FATP 3 , polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 6; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP3 polypeptide.    
     
     
         6 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 9.  
     
     
         7 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.8.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:9.  
     
     
         9 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:9.  
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein 4, FATP4, polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 8; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP4 polypeptide.    
     
     
         11 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID) NO.:11.  
     
     
         12 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID) NO.100.  
     
     
         13 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:11.  
     
     
         14 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:11.  
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein 5, FATP5, polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 10; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP5 polypeptide.    
     
     
         16 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:13.  
     
     
         17 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO. 12.  
     
     
         18 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:13.  
     
     
         19 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:13.  
     
     
         20 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein 2, FATP2, polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 12; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP2 polypeptide.    
     
     
         21 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:15.  
     
     
         22 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO. 14.  
     
     
         23 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:15.  
     
     
         24 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:15.  
     
     
         25 . A method of producing a FATP 3  polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 14; and  
 culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP3 polypeptide.  
 
     
     
         26 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:17.  
     
     
         27 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO. 16.  
     
     
         28 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:17.  
     
     
         29 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17.  
     
     
         30 . A method of producing a FATP4 polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 16; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP4 polypeptide.    
     
     
         31 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:19.  
     
     
         32 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO. 18.  
     
     
         33 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:19.  
     
     
         34 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19.  
     
     
         35 . A method of producing a FATP 5  polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 18; and  
 culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP 5  polypeptide.  
 
     
     
         36 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:21.  
     
     
         37 . The isolated polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.20.  
     
     
         38 . An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO.:21.  
     
     
         39 . An isolated polypeptide having fatty acid transport activity and comprising an amino acid sequence 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21.  
     
     
         40 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein, FATP6, polypeptide comprising the steps of transfecting a suitable host cell with the nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO.: 20; and 
 culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP 6  polypeptide.    
     
     
         41 . A method of producing a fatty acid transport protein, FATP, polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with a nucleic acid encoding a FATP polypeptide; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is expressed, thereby producing a FATP polypeptide.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is fatty acid transport protein 1, FATP 1 .  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is FATP2.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is FATP3.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is FATP4.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is FATP5.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the FATP is FATP6.  
     
     
         48 . A method of producing a FATP polypeptide comprising the steps of 
 transfecting a suitable host cell with a nucleic acid encoding a FATP polypeptide; and    culturing the host cell under conditions such that the nucleic acid is overexpressed, thereby producing a FATP polypeptide.    
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is fatty acid transport protein 1, FATP1.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is FATP2.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is FATP3.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is FATP4.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is FATP5.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the FATP is FATP6.