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cDNA cloning, pituitary location, and extra-pituitary expression of pro-opiomelanocortin gene in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

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Abstract

A cDNA encoding pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene was cloned from the pituitary gland of the rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus), a small freshwater fish endemic to China. This was achieved by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Data showed that the predicted rare minnow POMC (rmPOMC) cDNA consisted of 846bps coding for the following sequences, flanked by proteolytic cleavage sites: signal peptide (SP, Met1–Ala28), N-terminal peptide (Gln29–His105), ACTH (Ser108–Met146), α-MSH (Ser108–Gal121), CLIP (Pro126–Met146), β-LPH (Glu149–His221), γ-LPH (Glu149–Ser186), β-MSH (Asp170–Ser186), and β-endorphin (β-EP, Tyr189–Gln221). Sequence analysis showed no region was homologous to γ-MSH (a tetrapod POMC feature). The amino acid sequence is highly similar to POMC-I and POMC-II of the common carp (92.4%), according to homologous alignment. It was POMCα through the phylogenetic analysis. Pituitary and extra-pituitary expression were studied using RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The rmPOMC-positive cells were mainly located in the rostral pars distalis (RPD) and pars intermedia (PI). Some rmPOMC-positive cells were detected in the proximal pars distalis (PPD) as well, according to in situ hybridization. In the extra-pituitary tissues, positive signals were observed in the brain, intestines, gonads, hepatopancreas, spleen, and gills by RT-PCR analysis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank associate professor Xuefu He, and Taiming Yan and Miaorong Ye (Sichuan Agricultural University) for helping us to obtain the fish from the wild. This work was supported by The Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20070635001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Aquatic Organism Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaohong Liu, Biwen Xie, Yaoguang Zhang, Deshou Wang & Zhijian Wang

  2. Department of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, 641112, People’s Republic of China

    Biwen Xie

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  1. Xiaohong Liu
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  2. Biwen Xie
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  3. Yaoguang Zhang
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  4. Deshou Wang
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  5. Zhijian Wang
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Correspondence to Zhijian Wang.

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Liu, X., Xie, B., Zhang, Y. et al. cDNA cloning, pituitary location, and extra-pituitary expression of pro-opiomelanocortin gene in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus). Fish Physiol Biochem 37, 233–247 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-010-9433-4

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