title: Comparative analysis and expression of neuroserpin in Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Serine protease inhibitors form a diverse family of proteins of which most members inhibit target serine proteases. Neuroserpin is a member of this family. Here, we have characterized neuroserpin in the nonmammalian species Xenopus laevis and found a high degree of aminoacid sequence conservation, especially of the reactive center loop, of the Xenopus protein compared to mammalian and chicken neuroserpin sequences, suggesting a conserved target specificity. Neuroserpin mRNA and protein were expressed throughout Xenopus development, while in the adult frog high mRNA expression was found in neuronal and neuroendocrine tissues, and the reproductive organs, and the neuroserpin protein was detected mainly in brain and pituitary. More specifically, in Xenopus pituitary neuroserpin mRNA was expressed higher in the neurointermediate lobe than in the pars distalis. At the protein level, we detected a 55-kDa neuroserpin protein in the pars nervosa, two neuroserpin proteins of 44- and 50-kDa in the melanotrope cells of the pars intermedia, and a 46-kDa product in the pars distalis. On the basis of its relatively high degree of sequence conservation and its expression pattern, we conclude that Xenopus neuroserpin may play an important physiological role, e.g. as a serine protease inhibitor during development, and for proper neuronal and neuroendocrine cell functioning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Institute for Neuroscience, Nijmegen Center for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dorien M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pol
authors.forename: Gerard J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Martens
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004330:Drosophila; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015843:Serpins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000097522:Neuroserpin
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D015843:Serpins; D000097522:Neuroserpin