大熊猫生长激素受体(GHR) cDNA 的克隆与序列分析

根据已报道的若干物种GHR 基因cDNA 序列设计引物, 利用RT- PCR 技术首次从大熊猫肝脏组织总RNA中扩增出GHR 基因编码区全长cDNA 序列, 克隆于pGEM®-T 载体后进行测序和序列分析。结果表明,大熊猫GHR 的ORF为1 917 bp , 编码638 个氨基酸的前体蛋白, 由18 个氨基酸的信号肽和620 个氨基酸的成熟肽组成,与人、狗、猪GHR 结构相似, 大熊猫GHR 成熟肽由246 个氨基酸的胞外区、24 个氨基酸的跨膜区和350 个氨基酸的胞内区组成, 并具GHR 的特征性结构。序列相似性比较显示, 大熊猫GHR 与哺乳类GHR 具有69 %～93 %的高序列相似性, 与爬行类和鸟类的序列相似性也达到60 % , 而与鱼类的序列相似性较低, 仅为30 %左右。与其它哺乳动物GHR 相比, 大熊猫GHR 在氨基酸序列上也存在明显的特异性。     

Molecular Cloning of Giant Panda Pituitary Prolactin cDNA and Its Expression in Escherichia coli

cDNA encoding pituitary (PRL) of giant panda was obtained using RT-PCR and expressed in E. coli. The results revealed that panda PRL cDNA encodes a precursor protein of 229 amino acids including a putative signal peptide of 30 amino acids and a mature protein of 199 residues with one potential N-glycosylation site. Sequence comparison indicated that panda PRL shares a high degree of identity to other known PRL sequences ranging from 98% with mink PRL to about 50% with rodent PRL. Six cysteine residues and 29 conserved residues distributed in four domains (PD1, PD2, PD3, and PD4) of PRL were observed through multiple sequence alignment. Fourteen key residues of binding sites 1 and 2 involved in receptor binding are conserved in panda PRL. GST fused recombinant panda PRL protein was efficiently expressed with the form of insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli BL21 transformed with a pGEX-4T-1 expression vector containing the DNA sequence encoding mature panda PRL. Western blot analysis indicated that GST-panda PRL recombinant protein could be recognized by antibody against human PRL. Our results would contribute to further elucidating the structural and functional characteristics of pituitary PRL and provide a basis for the production of recombinant panda prolactin for future use in the breeding of giant panda.     

Molecular cloning of giant panda pituitary prolactin cDNA and its expression in Escherichia coli

cDNA encoding pituitary (PRL) of giant panda was obtained using RT-PCR and expressed in E. coli. The results revealed that panda PRL cDNA encodes a precursor protein of 229 amino acids including a putative signal peptide of 30 amino acids and a mature protein of 199 residues with one potential N-glycosylation site. Sequence comparison indicated that panda PRL shares a high degree of identity to other known PRL sequences ranging from 98% with mink PRL to about 50% with rodent PRL. Six cysteine residues and 29 conserved residues distributed in four domains (PD1, PD2, PD3, and PD4) of PRL were observed. through multiple sequence alignment. Fourteen key residues of binding sites 1 and 2 involved in receptor binding are conserved in panda PRL. GST fused recombinant panda PRL protein was efficiently expressed with the form of insoluble inclusion bodies in E. coli BL21 transformed with a pGEX-4T-1 expression vector containing the DNA sequence encoding mature panda PRL. Western blot analysis indicated that GST-panda PRL recombinant protein could be recognized by antibody against human PRL. Our results would contribute to further elucidating the structural and functional characteristics of pituitary PRL and provide a basis for the production of recombinant panda prolactin for future use in the breeding of giant panda.     

Ghrelin gene in cichlid fish is modulated by sex and development

We have identified the complementary and genomic DNA sequences of the novel growth hormone-releasing peptide, ghrelin, in the cichlid fish (tilapia Oreochromis niloticus). The tilapia ghrelin precursor cDNA was 855 bp long, consisting of 119 bp of 5(')-untranslated region, 324 bp open reading frame, and 412 bp of 3(')-untranslated region. The serine residues at positions 2 and 3 of the "active core" (GSSF) of the ghrelin mature peptide are conserved between tilapia and the mammalian species. The tilapia ghrelin gene has four exons and three introns and resembles the structure of other known ghrelin genes. RT-PCR analysis revealed ghrelin mRNA predominantly expressed in the stomach but absent in the brain, pituitary, heart, kidney, ovary, and testis. Real-time PCR analysis showed an age/body size dependent increase in gastric ghrelin, which stagnated at 7 cm body size (onset of maturation). Ghrelin mRNA levels were unchanged in food-deprived sexually mature animals but were significantly higher in females compared to males. The present study shows that the structure of ghrelin peptide is highly conserved, and the reported differences in somatic and gonadal growth in tilapia could be a consequence of age- and sex-related synthesis of gastric ghrelin.     

大熊猫和亚洲黑熊TNNC1 基因的克隆、表达与序列分析

慢肌肌钙蛋白C (Troponin C type 1,TNNC1)具有高度保守性,调控骨骼肌慢肌和心肌的收缩,影响肌蛋白的生成,从而可能导致动物肌肉的生长、进化和功能的差异。本研究以大熊猫和亚洲黑熊骨骼肌为材料,提取总RNA 和基因组DNA,运用RT-PCR 和Touch-down PCR 分别扩增出TNNC1 基因的cDNA 序列和结构基因序列,并且构建了含有TNNC1 cDNA 的重组表达载体,转化进入E. coli BL21 进行超表达研究。结果表明大熊猫TNNC1 基因的cDNA 片段长602 bp,包含一个编码161 个氨基酸的开放阅读框,其结构基因全长2 831 bp,包含6 个外显子和5 个内含子。亚洲黑熊TNNC1 基因的cDNA 片段长486 bp,亦包含一个编码161 个氨基酸的开放阅读框,其结构基因全长2 758 bp,同样包含6 个外显子和5 个内含子。该两个物种的TNNC1 基因与已报道的13种动物的TNNC1 基因具有很高的相似性。拓扑预测表明,大熊猫和亚洲黑熊TNNC1 蛋白有1 个蛋白激酶C 磷酸化位点,5 个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点,1 个N-豆蔻酰化位点,3 个EF 手性钙结合域及1 个N - 糖基化位点。将TNNC1 基因在大肠杆菌中表达发现TNNC1 蛋白与氮端多聚组氨酸标签蛋白(His6) 融合成大小为23. 5kD 左右的多肽,这与预期结果相一致。本研究结果为进一步深入探讨大熊猫和亚洲黑熊TNNC1 基因及蛋白的结构、功能和进化关系提供资料。     

大熊猫酸性核糖体磷酸蛋白P1 基因cDNA 克隆及序列分析

运用RT-PCR 技术,从大熊猫的肌肉组织总RNA 中成功克隆了酸性核糖体磷酸蛋白P1 (RPLP1)基因的表达序列,并对其进行了测序及初步分析。结果表明:大熊猫RPLP1 基因的表达序列全长为448 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)为344 bp,编码114 个氨基酸的蛋白质,该蛋白的分子量为11.566 kDa,pI 为4.4,含有3 个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点和2 个N - 酰基化位点。进一步分析发现,大熊猫RPLP1 基因的表达序列及其编码的氨基酸序列与已报道的部分哺乳动物具有很高的相似性。      

Molecular Cloning and Comparison of Avian Preproghrelin Genes

We report cDNA sequences for the preproghrelin gene from goose, duck, and emu. This gene is involved in stimulating the release of growth hormone in mammals and may play a similar role in avian species. The complete coding sequence of avian preproghrelin encodes a 116 amino acid (aa) protein, which is organized into three parts: the N-terminal hydrophobic signal peptide, a 26 aa peptide for mature ghrelin, and a long C-terminal polypeptide. Domain/motif structures of preproghrelin protein are highly conserved among avian species. Although the avian and mammalian homologs are not highly similar for the whole 116 aa sequence, the identity of the highly conserved “active core” sequence and the n-octanoyl modification of the serine 3 residue avian ghrelin protein with its mammalian homologs implies conserved function of ghrelin protein during evolution. Information provided in this study will be useful in further studies to determine the role the preproghrelin gene plays in the regulation of growth hormone release and body weight gain in avian species. Jing Yuan and Jianjun Zhou contributed equally to this work     

cDNA cloning of growth hormone from giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and its expression in Escherichia coli

A cDNA encoding Ailuropoda melanoleuca growth hormone (AmGH) was isolated from pituitary total RNA using RT-PCR and expressed in Escherichia coli. This is the first report of a GH nucleotide and amino acid (aa) sequence from giant panda. The open reading frame of AmGH (651 bp) encodes a precursor of 216 aa comprising a 26 aa signal peptide and a 190 aa mature protein with four cysteine residues similar to the typical primary structure of mammalian GH precursor. AmGH shares a high degree of identity (54-98.9%) with that of mammals, birds and amphibians, but a very low identity with bony fish GH (only 20-30%). The mature AmGH exhibits striking similarity to that of putative ancestral GH with a difference of only two residues, indicating a very slow basal rate of molecular evolution. The DNA fragment encoding mature AmGH was then subcloned into the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector and highly expressed in E. coli host BL21 with IPTG induction. The expressed proteins fused to GST were found to be sequestered into inclusion bodies and therefore the NaOH method was employed to solubilize the inclusion bodies; the proteins were further purified by Glutathione Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The production and purification of GST-AmGH reported here provide a basis for further studies on the biological activity of AmGH.     

鳜胰岛素样生长因子-ⅠcDNA全长克隆及组织表达分析

采用RT-PCR、cDNA末端快速扩增法(RACE)等技术克隆了鳜(Siniperca chuatsi)肝组织胰岛素样生长因子-I(IGF-I)cDNA全长序列.结果表明,鳜IGF-I cDNA全长1 784 bp,包括5'端非翻译区233bp,3'端非翻译区990 bp和开放阅读框561 bp,共编码186个氨基酸;...     

Identification of tilapia ghrelin and its effects on growth hormone and prolactin release in the tilapia,Oreochromis mossambicus

We have identified ghrelin and cDNA encoding precursor protein from the stomach of a euryhaline tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. The sequence of 20-amino acid tilapia ghrelin is GSSFLSPSQKPQNKVKSSRI. The third serine residue was modified by n-decanoic acid. The carboxyl-terminal end of the peptide possessed an amide structure. RT-PCR analysis revealed high levels of gene expression in the stomach and low levels in the brain, kidney and gill. Tilapia ghrelin stimulated growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) release from the organ-cultured tilapia pituitary at a dose of 10 nM. Thus, a novel regulatory mechanism of GH secretion by gastric ghrelin seems to be conserved in the tilapia. Stimulation of PRL release by homologous ghrelin has been reported in human, bullfrog and eel, and suggests the presence of growth hormone secretagogue receptor not only on somatotrophs but also on PRL cells of the tilapia pituitary.     

翘嘴鲌胰岛素样生长因子-Ⅰ的克隆及序列分析

为探讨胰岛素样生长因子-Ⅰ(Insulin like growth factor-Ⅰ, IGF-Ⅰ)对于翘嘴鲌(Culter alburnus)生长性状的影响, 对其DNA序列进行了克隆。翘嘴鲌IGF-Ⅰ全长14567 bp, 由5个外显子和4个内含子组成。其5个外显子长度分别为298、160、182、36 和1360 bp。推测的阅读框为486 bp, 编码由161个氨基酸组成的IGF-Ⅰ前体蛋白。前体肽由信号肽、成熟肽、E肽三部分组成, 其中信号肽44个氨基酸, 成熟肽70个氨基酸, E肽47个氨基酸。成熟肽由B、C、A、D四个区域组成, 其中B结构域和A结构域的保守性最高, 在这2个区域包含由6个半胱氨酸残基形成的3个二硫键。翘嘴鲌B区域还包含保守的IGF-Ⅰ受体识别序列(PheB23-TyrB24-PheB25)。E肽的长度表明翘嘴鲌IGF-Ⅰ属Ea-2型。同源性分析表明翘嘴鲌与鲤科鱼类的IGF-Ⅰ编码氨基酸同源性较高, 为94%—100%, 但在聚类分析中翘嘴鲌并不是首先和鲌亚科的鱼类聚集在一起。Real-time qPCR组织特异性表达结果显示IGF-Ⅰ mRNA在肝脏组织中的表达量最高, 脾、心脏、精巢、脑次之, 肾、鳃、胃和卵巢中表达量较低。翘嘴鲌IGF-Ⅰ基因4个内含子长度分别为1170、9364、251 和1746 bp。相对外显子来说, 种间内含子变异较大, 其中第三内含子变异最大。翘嘴鲌IGF-Ⅰ基因中包含6个微卫星, (GATG)₅AATAT (ATAG)₁₁位于第一内含子中, (CT)₈、(TTA)₅、(AC)₁₃、(TG)₁₂和(ATT)₅位于第二内含子中。其中4个微卫星位点具有多态性, 将它们在120尾同塘养殖的翘嘴鲌中进行基因型与生长性状的关联性分析, 均未达到显著水平(P>0.05)。结果为进一步研究该基因的表达、功能及其转录调控特征奠定了分子基础。     

Nucleotide sequence of the cDNA encoding the precursor for mitochondrial serine:pyruvate aminotransferase of rat liver

The nucleotide sequence of the mRNA coding for the precursor of mitochondrial serine:pyruvate aminotransferase of rat liver was determined from those of cDNA clones. The mRNA comprises at least 1533 nucleotides, except the poly(A) tail, and encodes a polypeptide consisting of 414 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 45,834 Da. Comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of mitochondrial serine:pyruvate aminotransferase with the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA showed that the mature form of the mitochondrial enzyme consisted of 390 amino acid residues of 43,210 Da. The amino acid composition of mitochondrial serine:pyruvate aminotransferase deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA showed good agreement with the composition determined on acid hydrolysis of the purified protein. The extra 24 amino acid residues correspond to the N-terminal extension peptide (pre-sequence) that is indispensable for the specific import of the precursor protein into mitochondria. In the extension peptide there are four basic amino acids distributed among hydrophobic amino acids and, as revealed on helical wheel analysis, the putative alpha-helical structure of the peptide was amphiphilic in nature. The secondary structures of the mature serine:pyruvate aminotransferase and three other aminotransferases of rat liver were predicted from their amino acid sequences. Their secondary structures exhibited a common feature and so we propose the specific lysine residue which binds pyridoxal phosphate as the active site of serine:pyruvate aminotransferase.     

Cloning, sequence analysis, and processing of the rat and human atrial natriuretic peptide precursors

Complementary DNA sequences and structural genes encoding the atrial natriuretic peptide precursor (prepro-ANP) have been cloned. Analysis of DNA sequences, complementary to rat atrial prepro-ANP mRNA, has revealed that the various natriuretic peptides isolated from rat atrium reside at the carboxy terminus of a 152-amino-acid precursor protein. The human gene, comprised of three exons and two intervening sequences, encodes a protein of 151 amino acids highly homologous to the rat precursor. Although putative proteolytic processing sites can be identified throughout the prepro-ANP amino acid sequence, the natural form of the mature ANP has not been identified. Therefore, the sites and mechanisms of prepro-ANP processing to mature peptides forms are unknown. However, the successful cloning of the prepro-ANP gene and corresponding cDNAs provide the necessary molecular tools to address these fundamental questions relating to the regulation of ANP synthesis and processing in atrial and extraatrial tissues.     

Cellular location and hormonal regulation of ghrelin expression in rat testis

Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone-secretagogue receptor, is a recently cloned 28-amino acid peptide, expressed primarily in the stomach and hypothalamus, with the ability to stimulate growth hormone (GH) release and food intake. However, the possibility of additional, as yet unknown biological actions of ghrelin has been suggested. As a continuation of our recent findings on the expression and functional role of ghrelin in rat testis, we report here the pattern of cellular expression of ghrelin peptide in rat testis during postnatal development and after selective Leydig cell elimination, and we assess hormonal regulation of testicular ghrelin expression, at the mRNA and/or protein levels, in different experimental models. Immunohistochemical analyses along postnatal development demonstrated selective location of ghrelin peptide within rat testis in mature fetal- and adult-type Leydig cells. In good agreement, ghrelin protein appeared undetectable in testicular interstitium after selective Leydig cell withdrawal. In terms of hormonal regulation, testicular ghrelin mRNA and protein expression decreased to negligible levels after long-term hypophysectomy, whereas replacement with human chorionic gonadotropin (CG) (as superagonist of LH) partially restored ghrelin mRNA and peptide expression. Furthermore, acute administration of human CG (25 IU) to intact rats resulted in a transient increase in testicular ghrelin mRNA levels, with peak values 4 h after injection, an effect that was not mimicked by FSH (12.5 IU/rat). In contrast, testicular expression of ghrelin mRNA remained unaltered in GH-deficient rats, under hyper- and hypothyroidism conditions, as well as in adrenalectomized animals. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that mature Leydig cells are the source of ghrelin expression in rat testis, the protein being expressed in both fetal- and adult-type Leydig cells. In addition, our data indicate that testicular expression of ghrelin is hormonally regulated and is at least partially dependent on pituitary LH.     

北极狐GHR基因cDNA的克隆及序列分析

本文根据狗(AF133835)的GHR基因cDNA编码全序列设计了三对引物,利用RT-PCR方法克隆出北极狐GHR基因编码区全长cDNA序列(GenBank accession No.EU304325)。结果表明,北极狐GHR的ORF为1917bp,编码638个氨基酸的前体蛋白,由18个氨基酸的信号肽和620个氨基酸的成熟肽组成。通过同源性比较发现北极狐与狗的同源性最高,达到98%。另外,利用邻接法(NJ法)构建的分子系统进化树聚类结果表明,北极狐与狗先聚为一类,该聚类结果与传统的物种进化关系基本一致。另外,通过氨基酸对位序列比较发现,北极狐GHR在氨基酸序列上存在明显的特异性,如45和451位分别为A和E,而其它物种均分别为T(大鼠为K)和A(牛羊为V,鼠为T)。     

Molecular cloning of a human co-beta-glucosidase cDNA: evidence that four sphingolipid hydrolase activator proteins are encoded by single genes in humans and rats

Authentic cDNAs encoding the activator protein for acid beta-glucosidase (EC3.2.1.45), co-beta-glucosidase, were cloned from the pCD and lambda gt11 human cDNA libraries. Initial screening with oligonucleotide mixtures encoding amino acid sequences of co-beta-glucosidase identified partial cDNAs which were used to obtain a potentially full-length cDNA from the lambda gt11 library. This clone (2767 bp), EGTISI, contained 5' (38 bp) and 3' (1157 bp) noncoding sequences, a translation initiation site, and an open reading frame encoding 524 amino acids which included a typical hydrophobic signal sequence (16 amino acids). Computer analyses identified three regions of high similarity to co-beta-glucosidase encoded by tandem sequences in EGTISI. Searches revealed that two of these regions encoded peptides of known function; SAP1 (sphingolipid activator protein 1) and protein C (a new sphingolipid activator protein) were encoded by EGTISI sequences 5' and 3', respectively, to those for co-beta-glucosidase. The third region of similarity, encoding a theoretical peptide (undefined function), was located most 5' in the cDNA. EGTISI and its encoded polypeptide had high similarity (77% nucleotide identity and about 80% amino acid similarity) to a rat Sertoli cell cDNA and its encoded sulfated glycoprotein-1. These results indicate that a single highly conserved gene encodes the precursor for four potential sphingolipid activator proteins in rat and man.     

Identification of the acyltransferase that octanoylates ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating peptide hormone

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid, appetite-stimulating peptide hormone secreted by the food-deprived stomach. Serine-3 of ghrelin is acylated with an eight-carbon fatty acid, octanoate, which is required for its endocrine actions. Here, we identify GOAT (Ghrelin O-Acyltransferase), a polytopic membrane-bound enzyme that attaches octanoate to serine-3 of ghrelin. Analysis of the mouse genome revealed that GOAT belongs to a family of 16 hydrophobic membrane-bound acyltransferases that includes Porcupine, which attaches long-chain fatty acids to Wnt proteins. GOAT is the only member of this family that octanoylates ghrelin when coexpressed in cultured endocrine cell lines with prepro-ghrelin. GOAT activity requires catalytic asparagine and histidine residues that are conserved in this family. Consistent with its function, GOAT mRNA is largely restricted to stomach and intestine, the major ghrelin-secreting tissues. Identification of GOAT will facilitate the search for inhibitors that reduce appetite and diminish obesity in humans.