Isolation, characterization, and expression of fatty acid binding protein in the liver of Gallus domesticus.

1. Fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was isolated from chicken liver cytosol. 2. Apparent molecular weight, pI, functional activity, and hybridization of a rat hFABP cDNA probe with chicken liver mRNA suggest that chicken liver FABP is structurally related to hepatic FABP (hFABP) previously isolated and characterized in the rat. 3. Fatty acids bound to liver FABP affect the electrophoretic nature of FABP. 4. Levels of liver FABP mRNA isolated from chickens at various stages of development parallel developmental alterations in lipid metabolism, being highest in day old chicks and laying hens versus juvenile birds.