Fradinger E A, Sherwood N M
Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3020, B.C., V8W 3N5, Victoria, Canada.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2000 Jul 25;165(1-2):211-9. doi: 10.1016/s0303-7207(00)00251-3.
The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterize the gene encoding growth hormone-releasing hormone (GRF) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) from the zebrafish. The gene is comprised of five exons with two distinct peptides encoded on separate exons, GRF on exon 4 and PACAP on exon 5. Our evidence indicates that the zebrafish genome contains a single copy of the GRF-PACAP gene. The tissue distribution pattern of the mRNA transcript shows expression in the brain, eye, gastrointestinal tract, ovary and testis; each transcript was sequenced and found to be identical to the gene. This is the first report of GRF-PACAP mRNA expression in the eye of a non-mammalian species. Evidence that a duplication of the PACAP gene gave rise to the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) gene is supported by the high amino acid sequence identity between PACAP in zebrafish and VIP in other fish species.
本研究的目的是从斑马鱼中分离并鉴定编码生长激素释放激素（GRF）和垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽（PACAP）的基因。该基因由五个外显子组成，在不同的外显子上编码两种不同的肽，GRF在第4外显子上，PACAP在第5外显子上。我们的证据表明，斑马鱼基因组中含有GRF - PACAP基因的单拷贝。mRNA转录本的组织分布模式显示在脑、眼、胃肠道、卵巢和睾丸中有表达；对每个转录本进行测序，发现其与该基因相同。这是关于非哺乳动物物种眼睛中GRF - PACAP mRNA表达的首次报道。斑马鱼中的PACAP与其他鱼类物种中的血管活性肠肽（VIP）之间的高氨基酸序列同一性支持了PACAP基因的复制产生VIP基因的证据。
