Characterization of a cDNA sequence encoding the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha in the chicken.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) belong to the superfamily of the nuclear hormone receptors that play an important role in lipid homeostasis. A partial complementary deoxyribonucleic acid clone encoding a PPAR alpha from chicken liver was isolated and sequenced. Comparison with human, mouse, rat, and Xenopus PPAR alpha cDNA indicates a high degree of homology, especially at the level of the inferred peptide sequence (greater than 90%). The tissue pattern of expression indicates that PPAR alpha expression in the chicken is similar to that reported in other species, i.e., high expression levels in the liver, heart, and kidney, but also occurs in the lipogenic uropygial gland specific to birds.