Cloning, sequence and expression in Escherichia coli of cDNA for ovine pregrowth hormone

Molecular evolution of growth hormone (GH) in Cetartiodactyla: cloning and characterization of the gene encoding GH from a primitive ruminant, the chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus)

In mammals the sequence of pituitary growth hormone (GH) is generally strongly conserved, indicating a slow basal rate of molecular evolution. However, on two occasions, during the evolution of primates and that of cetartiodactyls, the rate of evolution has increased dramatically (25 to 50-fold) so that the sequences of human and ruminant GHs differ markedly from those of other mammalian GHs. To define further the burst of GH evolution that occurred in cetartiodactyls, the GH gene of the chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus) has been cloned and characterized by use of genomic DNA and a polymerase chain reaction technique. Two very similar gene sequences, which probably reflect allelic variation, were isolated. The deduced sequence for the mature chevrotain GH differs from that of the bovine or red deer GH at only two to three residues, and phylogenetic analysis shows that the burst of rapid evolution of GH that occurred in the Cetartiodactyla must have been completed before the divergence of the Tragulidae and the advanced ruminants (Pecora). The rate of evolution during this burst must therefore have been greater than previously estimated. In other aspects (including signal sequence, 5' upstream sequence, and synonymous substitutions in the coding sequence), the chevrotain GH gene differs considerably from the GH genes of other ruminants and here there is no evidence for the period of accelerated evolution that is seen for GH itself.

Neuroregulation of growth hormone secretion in domestic animals

Growth hormone (GH) is essential for postnatal somatic growth, maintenance of lean tissue at maturity in domestic animals and milk production in cows. This review focuses on neuroregulation of GH secretion in domestic animals. Two hormones principally regulate the secretion of GH: growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulates, while somatostatin (SS) inhibits the secretion of GH. A long-standing hypothesis proposes that alternate secretion of GHRH and SS regulate episodic secretion of GH. However, measurement of GHRH and SS in hypophysial-portal blood of unanesthetized sheep and swine shows that episodic secretion of GHRH and SS do not account for all episodes of GH secreted. Furthermore, the activity of GHRH and SS neurons decreases after steers have eaten a meal offered for a 2-h period each day (meal-feeding) and this corresponds with reduced secretion of GH. Together, these data suggest that other factors also regulate the secretion of GH. Several neurotransmitters have been implicated in this regard. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid stimulate the secretion of GH at somatotropes. Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 overcomes feeding-induced refractoriness of somatotropes to GHRH and stimulates the secretion of GHRH. Norepinephrine reduces the activity of SS neurons and stimulates the secretion of GHRH via alpha(2)-adrenergic receptors. N-methyl-D,L-aspartate and leptin stimulate the secretion of GHRH, while neuropeptide Y stimulates the secretion of GHRH and SS. Activation of muscarinic receptors decreases the secretion of SS. Dopamine stimulates the secretion of SS via D1 receptors and inhibits the secretion of GH from somatotropes via D2 receptors. Thus, many neuroendocrine factors regulate the secretion of GH in livestock via altering secretion of GHRH and/or SS, communicating between GHRH and SS neurons, or acting independently at somatotropes to coordinate the secretion of GH.

Basal secretion of growth hormone in sheep is not influenced by GH feedback

Autoregulation of GH secretion in sheep was examined by intravenous and intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of human and bovine GH. Intravenous administration of hGH at either 2 mg or 10 mg per sheep failed to alter radioimmunoassayable plasma ovine GH concentrations or plasma somatostatin. Human GH also failed to alter plasma oGH when given at a dose of 50 micrograms i.c.v. Bovine GH (at 50 micrograms or 500 micrograms) i.c.v. did not affect basal plasma oGH or somatostatin, nor did pretreatment with 50 micrograms bGH significantly alter GH response to clonidine stimulation, although the change in plasma GH with stimulation was only half that of controls. These data do not support a major autoregulatory effect on GH secretion in the sheep.

Cloning and characterisation of the rabbit growth hormone-encoding gene

The gene encoding growth hormone (GH) has been cloned from a rabbit genomic library, and its sequence has been determined. The rabbit GH gene is similar to other mammalian GH, being comprised of five exons and four introns. As in rodents and artiodactyls, the rabbit GH occurs as a single gene, with no evidence for a cluster of GH-like genes, as is found in primates. The amino acid sequence of rabbit GH is similar to that of pig GH and other conserved mammalian GH, and, like these, differs markedly from the available sequences of ruminant and primate GH. This provides further support for the idea that, in mammals, GH show a slow underlying rate of evolution which has increased markedly on at least two occasions.

The effect of changes in nucleotide sequence coding for the N-terminus on expression levels of ovine growth hormone variants in Escherichia coli

The expression levels of coding sequences for pituitary growth hormone, introduced into Escherichia coli by genetic manipulation techniques, vary markedly according to the precise sequence introduced. In order to understand the basis of this variation more fully, we have studied the relationship between the level of expression in E. coli of a series of ovine growth hormone variants and the nucleotide sequences coding for their N-terminal regions. Sequence variation resulted from the introduction of deletions, or site-directed mutations, into a plasmid containing the coding sequence for ovine growth hormone preceded by the initiation codon and 25 bases derived from beta-galactosidase or linker regions of plasmid pUC8. The expression levels of the variants varied from less than 0.01% to over 34% of the total cell protein, indicating that changes in the nucleotide sequence close to the initiation codon had a marked effect on expression level. The results of a comparison of closely related sequences in pairs of plasmids giving poor or good expression are consistent with the hypothesis that poor translation of growth hormone mRNAs is caused by the presence of secondary structures close to the initiation codon. Secondary structures are identified that appear to explain the variation in expression levels.

A dog growth hormone cDNA codes for a mature protein identical to pig growth hormone

Although methods for purification of dog (Canis familiaris) growth hormone (cfGH) were described in the late Sixties, the cloning of its cDNA has not been achieved until now. In order to clone the cfGH cDNA, we capitalized on the high degree of nucleotide sequence conservation among mammalian GH genes to design a pair of consensus oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers. With these, and starting with dog pituitary gland total RNA, we specifically amplified the cfGH cDNA using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Its coding sequence (651 bp), as well as its 3' untranslated region (101 bp), resemble those of a typical mammalian GH cDNA. Interestingly, its encoded mature protein is identical to pig growth hormone (pGH).

Production of methionyl-minus ovine growth hormone in Escherichia coli and one-step purification

The overproduction of ovine growth hormone (oGH) in Escherichia coli is described, achieved in part by alteration of the codon usage for nine of the first 15 amino acids (aa) of the mature hormone. Recombinant oGH (re-oGH), representing 12% of the total cellular protein, was isolated from inclusion bodies by solubilisation using the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The hormone was refolded and subsequently purified to greater than 95% homogeneity in a single step using preparative reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The aa sequence analysis revealed that the N-terminus of the E. coli-derived polypeptide was identical to that of pituitary-derived oGH, and re-oGH displayed potent somatotropic activity in vivo.