title: Characterization of the Pacific salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene, copy number and transcription start site.
abstract: Multiple forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have been shown to exist in all vertebrates examined except recently-evolved placental mammals. To study the origin and regulation of the GnRH genes in a Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), we isolated and sequenced the salmon form of GnRH. The Southern blot shows a single band that strongly hybridizes to a probe for the gene reported here and weaker bands that may represent genes for related forms of GnRH. There is strong conservation of sequence in the hormone coding region and of the gene organization between fish and mammals. However, the GnRH-associated peptide (GAP) shows very little sequence identity with the mammalian GAPs, questioning its physiological role. We also show for the first time the transcriptional start site for a GnRH gene in a non-mammalian species. Interestingly, a large segment of 1152 nucleotides in the promoter region of the Pacific salmon GnRH gene is missing compared with the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) gene. These gene rearrangements suggest that these two salmonid species, which have been geographically separated for 8-15 million years, have evolved promoters with different mechanisms for control and transcription of GnRH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Victoria, B.C., Canada.
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: von Schalburg
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sherwood
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D008322:Mammals; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D012474:Salmon / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050866:progonadoliberin I; C050502:gonadotropin releasing hormone associated peptide; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone