Tissue-specific expression of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase α (Pdha-1)/chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion gene in transgenic mice

A chimeric gene (-763/ + 33Pdha-1/CAT) containing -763/ + 33 nucleotides of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase gene (Pdha-1) and the structural gene of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) was used to generate transgenic mice. CAT activity was detected predominantly in the brain followed in decreasing order by adipose tissue, spleen, heart, kidney and liver. Developmental expression of CAT activity in the testes was similar to that of the endogenous Pdha-1 subunit expression in the testes. Dietary regulation of the transgene was comparable to the expression of endogenous pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in kidney and adipose tissue. Thus, the -763/ + 33 bp segment of the human Pdha-1 gene is transcriptionally active in vivo and can direct the expression of CAT in several tissues.