Delta-aminolevulinate synthase (EC 2.3.1.37 ) catalyzes the condensation of glycine with succinyl-CoA to form
delta-aminolevulinic acid. This nuclear-encoded mitochondrial enzyme is the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the mammalian
heme biosynthetic pathway.
NCBI Summary:
This gene encodes the mitochondrial enzyme which is catalyzes the rate-limiting step in heme (iron-protoporphyrin) biosynthesis. The enzyme encoded by this gene is the housekeeping enzyme; a separate gene encodes a form of the enzyme that is specific for erythroid tissue. The level of the mature encoded protein is regulated by heme: high levels of heme down-regulate the mature enzyme in mitochondria while low heme levels up-regulate. A pseudogene of this gene is located on chromosome 12. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2015]
Integration of the nuclear receptor REV-ERBα linked with circadian oscillators in the expressions of Alas1, Ppargc1a, and Il6 genes in rat granulosa cells. Chen H et al. (2015) The nuclear receptor REV-ERBα links circadian rhythms and numerous physiological processes, but its physiological role in ovaries remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the potential role of REV-ERBα in the regulation of the transcription of its putative target genes in granulosa cells (GCs) prepared from Per2-destablized luciferase (dLuc) reporter gene transgenic rats. Alas1, Ppargc1a, and Il6 were chosen as representatives for genes analysis. A real-time monitoring system of Per2 promoter activity was performed to detect Per2-dLuc circadian oscillations. Two agonists (GSK4112, heme) and an antagonist (SR8278) of REV-ERBα as well as Rev-erbα siRNA knockdown were used to identify its target genes. Clear Per2-dLuc circadian oscillations were generated in matured GCs after synchronization with GSK4112 or SR8278. GSK4112 treatment lengthened and SR8278 treatment shortened the period of circadian oscillations in matured GCs stimulated with or without luteinizing hormone (LH). GSK4112 showed an inhibitory effect on the amplitude of circadian oscillations and caused an arrhythmic expression of canonical clock genes. SR8278 also had a subtle effect on their daily expression profiles, but the treatment resulted only in the arrhythmic expression of Rev-erbα. These findings indicate the functional biological activity of REV-ERBα in response to its ligands. Its natural ligand heme further elongated the period of circadian oscillations and alleviated their amplitudes in GCs cultured with LH. Heme treatment also repressed the expressions of clock genes, Alas1, Il6, and Ppargc1a. Rev-erbα knockdown up-regulated these transcript levels. Collectively, these data extend the recent finding to rat GCs and demonstrate that REV-ERBα represses the expressions of Alas1, Ppargc1a, and Il6, providing novel insights into the physiological significance of REV-ERBα in ovarian circadian oscillators.//////////////////
Espey and Richards 2002 reviewed the literature on ovulation-related genes.
Among the 20 genes covered in this review, 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS, i.e., aminolevulinic acid synthase) was one of the first in which transcription was up-regulated in follicular tissue during the early stages of the ovulatory process. In control ovaries (i.e., at 0 h after hCG) there was a limited amount of ALAS expressed randomly in the granulosa layer, as well as in the theca interna of large follicles. ALAS began to increase in the granulosa layer as early as 30 min after hCG, and it reached a peak at 1 h after the administration of hCG. Subsequently, it declined sharply, returning to a level below the 0 h control value by 12 h after hCG, at the time when the mature ovarian follicles are beginning to rupture. However, preliminary data from in situ hybridization studies suggest there is a secondary phase of moderate, but significant, expression of the ALAS gene in the corpora lutea that develop from ruptured follicles.
ALAS is perhaps best known for its role in catalyzing the condensation of glycine and succinyl-CoA to yield 5-aminolevulinate, a universal precursor of tetrapyrrole compounds that function in a variety of reactions including the biosynthesis of heme, the transport of single electrons, and the catalysis of redox reactions. It is particularly relevant to note that ALAS has been associated with mitochondrial P450 cytochromes and with steroid metabolism, i.e., with factors that are known to be involved in ovulation.
Nuclear receptor 5A (NR5A) family regulates 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) gene expression in steroidogenic cells. Ju Y et al. 5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) is a rate-limiting enzyme for heme biosynthesis in mammals. Heme is essential for the catalytic activities of P450 enzymes including steroid metabolic enzymes. Nuclear receptor 5A (NR5A) family proteins, steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), and liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) play pivotal roles in regulation of steroidogenic enzymes. Recently, we showed that expression of SF-1/LRH-1 induces differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into steroidogenic cells. In this study, genome-wide analysis revealed that ALAS1 was a novel SF-1-target gene in differentiated mesenchymal stem cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and reporter assays revealed that SF-1/LRH-1 up-regulated ALAS1 gene transcription in steroidogenic cells via binding to a 3.5-kb upstream region of ALAS1. The ALAS1 gene was up-regulated by overexpression of SF-1/LRH-1 in steroidogenic cells and down-regulated by knockdown of SF-1 in these cells. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? coactivator-1a, a coactivator of nuclear receptors, also strongly coactivated expression of NR5A-target genes. Reporter analysis revealed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? coactivator-1a strongly augmented ALAS1 gene transcription caused by SF-1 binding to the 3.5-kb upstream region. Finally knockdown of ALAS1 resulted in reduced progesterone production by steroidogenic cells. These results indicate that ALAS1 is a novel NR5A-target gene and participates in steroid hormone production.
Expression regulated by
FSH, LH
Comment
Maor increases in ORG array.////////Gene expression decreased. Luteinization of porcine preovulatory follicles leads to systematic changes in follicular gene expression. Agca C et al. The LH surge initiates the luteinization of preovulatory follicles and causes hormonal and structural changes that ultimately lead to ovulation and the formation of corpora lutea. The objective of the study was to examine gene expression in ovarian follicles (n = 11) collected from pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) approaching estrus (estrogenic preovulatory follicle; n = 6 follicles from two sows) and in ovarian follicles collected from pigs on the second day of estrus (preovulatory follicles that were luteinized but had not ovulated; n = 5 follicles from two sows). The follicular status within each follicle was confirmed by follicular fluid analyses of estradiol and progesterone ratios. Microarrays were made from expressed sequence tags that were isolated from cDNA libraries of porcine ovary. Gene expression was measured by hybridization of fluorescently labeled cDNA (preovulatory estrogenic or -luteinized) to the microarray. Microarray analyses detected 107 and 43 genes whose expression was decreased or increased (respectively) during the transition from preovulatory estrogenic to -luteinized (P<0.01). Cells within preovulatory estrogenic follicles had a gene-expression profile of proliferative and metabolically active cells that were responding to oxidative stress. Cells within preovulatory luteinized follicles had a gene-expression profile of nonproliferative and migratory cells with angiogenic properties. Approximately, 40% of the discovered genes had unknown function.
Ovarian localization
Granulosa, Theca
Comment
Follicle stages
Antral, Preovulatory
Comment
Phenotypes
Mutations
1 mutations
Species: porcine
Mutation name: type: naturally occurring fertility: fertile Comment: Short Communication Molecular cloning and expression pattern of the porcine 5-aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) gene and its association with reproductive traits. Liu LQ et al. (2016) 5-Aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) is the first enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway and is upregulated in follicular tissue during the early stages of ovulation. In this study, we isolated the complete coding sequence of the porcine ALAS1 gene and its 2-9 intron sequence, identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; T/C) in intron 9, and developed a PCR-MspI-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping assay. Association of the SNP with litter size was assessed in two populations [purebred Large White and the experimental synthetic (DIV) line]. Statistical analysis demonstrated that for total number of piglets born (TNB) in all parities, pigs with the CC genotype had an additional 0.68 and 0.74 piglets compared to the TC and TT animals (P < 0.05) in the DIV line, respectively. Purebred Large White sows inheriting the CC and TC genotypes gave birth to an additional 0.96 and 0.70 piglets compared to the TT animals (P < 0.05) in all parities, respectively. In addition, for TNB in all parities, a significant additive effect of 0.48 ± 0.23 and 0.37 ± 0.17 piglets/ litter was detected in sows of both populations (P < 0.05), respectively. The highest levels of ALAS1 gene expression were observed in isolated ovarian granulosa cells 2 and 12 h after stimulation with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin human chorionic gonadotropin, which represents the time of follicular development and ovulation, respectively. Therefore, the ALAS1 gene was significantly associated with litter size in two populations and could be a useful molecular marker for the selection of increasing litter size in pigs.//////////////////