Taro α-galactosidase: A new gene product for blood conversion

The N-terminal sequence and internal sequences of the purified taro α-galactosidase (α-Gal) were determined using tandem mass spectrometry. By using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), 5′ and 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) with designed, degenerate primers, a novel cDNA sequence was obtained. The recombinant taro α-Gal not only hydrolyzes α1→4 linked galactosyl residues, which are accumulated in the tissues from patients with Fabry disease, but also hydrolyzes the α1→3 linked galactoside of B red blood cells (RBC). The recombinant taro α-Gal provides an ideal enzyme source for biomedical systems.

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