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Branched chain aminotransferase is the first enzyme involved in the catabolic pathway of branched chain amino acids. Recently cDNA was cloned corresponding to the cytosolic branched chain aminotransferase gene BCAT1. The 1072-bp cDNA fragment of sheep BCAT1 reveals 88, 77 and 78% identity with human, rat and mouse sequences respectively. Since sheep, cattle and goat, members of the Bovidae family, are very close species, the percentage of sequence homology of the BCAT1 cDNA among these species is most likely higher than 95% as reported for milk proteins.