Nucleotide sequence analysis of mRNAs predicts that rat pituitary and gonadal gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor proteins have identical primary structure.
In order to examine whether the paradoxical, extrapituitary ovarian and testicular gonadotropin-releasing hormone binding activity in rat was related to conventional pituitary GnRH receptor, the presence and nature of GnRH receptor gene transcripts were analysed by a reverse transcription-coupled polymerase chain reaction method. Different primer pairs designed to amplify regions of mRNA encompassing the complete open reading frame plus a large part of the 3'-untranslated region revealed the presence of GnRH receptor transcripts of strictly identical nucleotide sequence in both pituitary and gonads, predicting a unique primary structure for the receptor protein. In addition, restriction analysis of rat genomic DNA suggested that a single gene encodes the mRNA subspecies identified to date and demonstrated the presence of introns included within the highly conserved coding region. Although post-translational modifications of the GnRH-receptor may differ in the various tissues examined, these data at least clarify the nature and identity of gonadal GnRH receptors.
Moumni
M
M
Endocrinologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire de la Reproduction, U.R.A. 1449, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Kottler
M L
ML
Counis
R
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry
D017931:DNA Primers; D011966:Receptors, LHRH