title: Structure and tissue distribution of prolactin receptor mRNA in Japanese flounder (Paralichtys olivaceus): conserved and preferential expression in osmoregulatory organs.
abstract: In diadromous and euryhaline teleosts, it has been established that prolactin (PRL) is a major hormone regulating the maintenance of water and electrolyte homeostasis by acting on its receptor (PRLR) expressed in the osmoregulatory organs. To investigate the major physiological role of PRL in a marine teleost, cDNA for the Japanese flounder (Paralichtys olivaceus) prolactin receptor (fPRLR) has been cloned and characterized. The predicted fPRLR is composed of 636 amino acids conserving common structural features, such as the WSXWS motif and box 1, that are observed in the members of the cytokine receptor superfamily. By Northern blot analysis, 3.5-kb transcripts for fPRLR were clearly detected in the gill, kidney, and intestine. By RNase protection assay, similarly high levels of mRNA expression were detected in these osmoregulatory organs and lower expression levels were seen in the brain for both males and females. Interestingly, a distinct expression level of fPRLR mRNA was observed in the testis, but not in the ovary. The present results suggest that PRL may play an important role in the control of water and electrolyte balance through PRLR expressed in the osmoregulatory organs in the marine teleost the Japanese flounder as well as in other teleosts. Furthermore, PRL may differentially regulate gonadal functions in males and females of Japanese flounder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Mie University, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higashimoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohkubo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakashima
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005260:Female; D005432:Flounder / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005880:Gills / Q000737:chemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin