title: Evolution of structure, ontogeny of gene expression, and function of Xenopus laevis transthyretin.
abstract: Xenopus laevis transthyretin (xTTR) cDNA was cloned and sequenced. The derived amino acid sequence was very similar to those of other vertebrate transthyretins (TTR). TTR gene expression was observed during metamorphosis in X. laevis tadpole liver but not in tadpole brain nor adult liver. Recombinant xTTR was synthesized in Pichia pastoris and identified by amino acid sequence, subunit molecular mass, tetramer formation, and binding to retinol-binding protein. Contrary to mammalian xTTRs, the affinity of xTTR was higher for L-triiodothyronine than for L-thyroxine. The regions of the TTR genes coding for the NH(2)-terminal sections of the polypeptide chains of TTR seem to have evolved by stepwise shifts of mRNA splicing sites between exons 1 and 2, resulting in shorter and more hydrophilic NH(2) termini. This may be one molecular mechanism of positive Darwinian evolution. Open reading frames with xTTR-like sequences in the genomes of C. elegans and several microorganisms suggested evolution of the TTR gene from ancestor TTR gene-like "DNA modules." Increasing preference for binding of L-thyroxine over L-triiodothyronine may be associated with evolving tissue-specific regulation of thyroid hormone action by deiodination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prapunpoj
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schreiber
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007614:Macropodidae; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009893:Opossums; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D011228:Prealbumin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins