Abstract
Two types of cDNA, each encoding a different beta-subunit of striped bass (Morone saxatilis, Teleostei) gonadotrophins (GTH-I beta and GTH-II beta), as well as the glycoprotein alpha-subunit, were cloned by screening a striped bass pituitary cDNA library. The probes used for screening the library were cloned cDNA fragments, generated by PCR amplification of reverse-transcribed mRNA obtained from two pituitaries. The nucleotide sequences of the alpha-subunit, GTH-I beta and GTH-II beta are 626, 524 and 580 bases long, encoding peptides of 117, 120 and 147 amino acids respectively. Striped bass GTH-I beta and GTH-II beta share a sequence identity of 48% at the nucleic acid level, and 30% at the amino acid level. A cluster analysis of vertebrate pituitary glycoprotein beta-subunits suggests that teleost GTH-II beta is more closely related to tetrapod LH than to FSH. Administration of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue ([D-Ala6,Pro9Net]-LHRH) to juvenile striped resulted in ten-, two- and fivefold increases in the expression of the alpha-subunit, GTH-I beta and GTH-II beta respectively. These results suggest that each of the GTH subunits is differentially regulated, and further corroborate the functional duality of teleost gonadotrophins.
