[Recombinant DNA in the study of protein hormones].

The structures of some genes of pituitary, hypothalamic and thyroid protein hormones are reviewed. Cys-elements in the 5'-enhancer area of prolactin and growth hormone genes were identified by some authors. The possibility of biosynthesis of two variants of growth hormone and two different biologically active calcitonin related peptides are considered as results of alternative pro-mRNA splicing after expression of growth hormone and calcitonin genes. LH-RH and GH-RH gene structures are presented. They code the primary structures of several peptide hormones with different biological activities. These peptides are released after proteolytic processing of high molecular weight protein precursors. The structural and functional organization of the glucocorticoid receptor is discussed.