Local duplication of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor before two rounds of whole genome duplication and origin of the mammalian GnRH receptor.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and the GnRH receptor (GnRHR) play an important role in vertebrate reproduction. Although many GnRHR genes have been identified in a large variety of vertebrate species, the evolutionary history of GnRHR in vertebrates is unclear. To trace the evolutionary origin of GnRHR we examined the conserved synteny of chromosomes harboring GnRHR genes and matched the genes to linkage groups of reconstructed vertebrate ancestor chromosomes. Consistent with the phylogenetic tree, three pairs of GnRHR subtypes were identified in three paralogous linkage groups, indicating that an ancestral pair emerged through local duplication before two rounds of whole genome duplication (2R). The 2R then led to the generation of six subtypes of GnRHR. Some subtypes were lost during vertebrate evolution after the divergence of teleosts and tetrapods. One subtype includes mammalian GnRHR and a coelacanth GnRHR that showed the greatest response to GnRH1 among the three types of GnRH. This study provides new insight into the evolutionary relationship of vertebrate GnRHRs.
Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Fatemeh Ameri
FA
Sefideh
Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Mi Jin
MJ
Moon
Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Seongsik
S
Yun
Department of East-West Integrated Medicine, College of Oriental Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Sung In
SI
Hong
Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jong-Ik
JI
Hwang
Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae Young
JY
Seong
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication; D016678:Genome; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D026801:Synteny
D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone