[Specific hybridization of a synthetic oligonucleotide in rat hypothalamic neurons immunoreactive to immune serum against salmon melanin-concentrating hormone].

An oligonucleotide probe corresponding to the 9 C-terminal residues encoded by a complementary DNA of a rat peptide related to salmon melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) was synthetized. It specifically hybridized to the neurons stained by antisera to MCH in the rat posterior hypothalamus, as seen by coupling in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical methods. This result validates our sequence determination. This oligonucleotide will be useful to establish the complete sequence of the rat MCH precursor molecule. It will also constitute a valuable tool to study physiological or experimentally-induced changes in the expression of the rat MCH gene.