title: Cloning and sequence analysis of FSH and LH in the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).
abstract: The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an endangered species and indigenous to China. It has been proposed that it has a highly specialized reproductive pattern with low fecundity, but little is known about its basic reproductive biology at the molecular level. In this report the genes encoding gonadotropin subunits alpha, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) beta and luteinizing hormone (LH) beta of the giant panda were amplified for the first time by RT-PCR from pituitary total RNA, and were cloned, sequenced and analyzed. The results revealed that the open reading region (ORF) of gonadotropin subunits alpha, FSH beta and LH beta are 363, 390 and 426 bp long, respectively. They displayed a reasonably high degree (74-94, 85-93, 75-91%, for alpha, FSH beta and LH beta subunits, respectively) of identity when deduced amino acids were compared with homologous sequences from partial available mammals including human, cattle, sheep, pig, rat, mouse. Three distinct differences were found at the site of 59 aa of the alpha subunit and 55 aa, 68 aa of FSH beta subunit. Our results provide an insight into understanding the mechanism of reproduction regulation and genetic characteristics of giant panda which will make an actual contribution to its conservation. In addition they lay a foundation for a further study towards producing recombinant panda FSH and LH which can be used in artificial breeding aimed to increase its captive reproductive efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310012, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Juan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Mu-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhi-He
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: An-Ju
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-Han
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fu-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit / Q000235:genetics; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017385:Sequence Homology; D001503:Ursidae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone