title: Leptin receptor gene in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Cloning, phylogeny, tissue distribution and neuroanatomical organization.
abstract: In this study, we report the cloning of three transcripts for leptin receptor in the European sea bass, a marine teleost of economic interest. The two shortest variants, generated by different splice sites, encode all functional extracellular and intracellular domains but missed the transmembrane domain. The resulting proteins are therefore potential soluble binding proteins for leptin. The longest transcript (3605bp), termed sblepr, includes all the essential domains for binding and transduction of the signal. Thus, it is proposed as the ortholog for the human LEPR gene, the main responsible for leptin signaling. Phylogenetic analysis shows the sblepr clustered within the teleost leptin receptor group in 100% of the bootstrap replicates. The neuroanatomical localization of sblepr expressing cells has been assessed by in situ hybridization in brains of sea bass of both sexes during their first sexual maturation. At histological level, the distribution pattern of sblepr expressing cells in the brain shows no clear differences regarding sex or reproductive season. Transcripts of the sblepr have a widespread distribution throughout the forebrain and midbrain until the caudal portion of the hypothalamus. A high hybridization signal is detected in the telencephalon, preoptic area, medial basal and caudal hypothalamus and in the pituitary gland. In a more caudal region, sblepr expressing cells are identified in the longitudinal torus. The expression pattern observed for sblepr suggests that in sea bass, leptin is very likely to be involved in the control of food intake, energy reserves and reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre la Sal (CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n, 12595 Torre la Sal, Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre la Sal (CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n, 12595 Torre la Sal, Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre la Sal (CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n, 12595 Torre la Sal, Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felip
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre la Sal (CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n, 12595 Torre la Sal, Castellón, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre la Sal (CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n, 12595 Torre la Sal, Castellón, Spain. Electronic address: s.zanuy@csic.es.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanuy
authors.affiliation: Team NEED, Research Institute for Health, Environment and Occupation, INSERM U1085, SFR Biosit, Université de Rennes 1, France. Electronic address: olivier.kah@univ-rennes1.fr.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kah
authors.affiliation: Team NEED, Research Institute for Health, Environment and Occupation, INSERM U1085, SFR Biosit, Université de Rennes 1, France.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Servili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004435:Eating; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009445:Neuroanatomy; D010802:Phylogeny; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012098:Reproduction; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D054411:Receptors, Leptin
keywords: Central nervous system; Energy homeostasis; Food intake; Reproduction; Teleost