Complete sequence of rabbit butyrylcholinesterase

Butyrylcholinesterase (E.C. 3.1.1.8) is present in all vertebrates (1, 2). We present here the sequence of rabbit BCHE gene deduced from three genomic clones described elsewhere (3). Each clone contained one exon and together covered the entire coding sequence. The structure of the rabbit BCHE gene is identical to the human gene (4) and to Torpedo ACHE gene (5). Positions of splicing sites within the coding sequence are conserved but non coding sequences are not conserved except for a portion of the 3' end untranslated sequence which may have a role in the regulation of the mRNA. The identity with human BCHE is 90.3% in nucleotidse over the coding sequence and 91.6% in amino acids. The high proportion of bases A and T is a characteristic of both human and rabbit BCHE gene. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS