Isolation and Characterization of the Rat Catalase-encoding Gene

Using cDNA clones coding for rat liver catalase (hydrogen peroxide:hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.6), overlapping genomic clones were isolated. By Southern blotting analysis and nucleotide sequencing, the gene was characterized to be about 33 kb in length and to have 13 exons and twelve introns. S1 mapping and primer extension analyses showed the presence of multiple transcription start points (tsp) located between 66 bp and 105 bp upstream from the translational start codon. Nucleotide sequence immediately upstream from the tsp lacks the TATA box but contains multiple CCAAT boxes and GC-like boxes.