Identification of ostrich and chicken cholecystokinin cDNA and intestinal peptides

The cDNAs encoding the preprohormones of the regulatory peptides cholecystokinin (CCK) and the related gastrin have been identified in a number of vertebrate species. However, from birds only chicken preprogastrin is known. In the present study preproCCK cDNA was identified in two species of birds, ostrich and chicken. In addition, the molecular forms of the bioactive peptides expressed in the small intestine were characterized. Both preproCCKs contain mono basic processing sites for the production of CCK-70 and -8 as seen in turtle and bullfrog. However, compared to these species an unusually large proportion was processed to the small forms CCK-7 and -8 and only minute amounts to larger forms. The encoded preprohormones are very similar to each other and to turtle CCK. Furthermore, they also show a high degree of similarity to the CCKs identified in more distant vertebrates. This confirms that CCK is highly conserved among vertebrates while the structure of gastrin, the other member of the CCK/gastrin family, is considerably more variable.