Patatin Like Phospholipase Domain Containing Protein 2 (PNPLA2)

The deduced 486-amino acid protein contains a highly conserved 180-amino acid N-terminal patatin domain with a glycine-rich region, an active serine hydrolase motif, and an aspartate active site motif. PNPLA2, which shows 88% amino acid homology to mouse desnutrin. Northern blot analysis detected a 2.0-kb transcript expressed at high levels in mouse brown and white adipose tissue and at intermediate levels in heart and testis. Very low expression was detected in all other mouse tissues examined. Expression of desnutrin was lower in gonadal fat deposits of genetically obese mice compared with wildtype mice. Desnutrin mRNA was found only in mature adipocytes and not in proliferating or confluent mouse preadipocytes. Expression was rapidly increased in cells induced to differentiate.