Molecular cloning of a new transforming gene from a chemically transformed human cell line

Molecular cloning of the transforming gene from a chemically transformed human osteosarcoma-derived cell line enables the gene to be mapped to chromosome 7 (7p11.4-7qter) and by this criterion and by direct hybridization to be shown to be unrelated to known oncogenes.

The Wnt/Ca2+ pathway: a new vertebrate Wnt signaling pathway takes shape

Members of the vertebrate Wnt family have been subdivided into two functional classes according to their biological activities. Some Wnts signal through the canonical Wnt-1/wingless pathway by stabilizing cytoplasmic beta-catenin. By contrast other Wnts stimulate intracellular Ca2+ release and activate two kinases, CamKII and PKC, in a G-protein-dependent manner. Moreover, putative Wnt receptors belonging to the Frizzled gene family have been identified that preferentially couple to the two prospective pathways in the absence of ectopic Wnt ligand and that might account for the signaling specificity of the Wnt pathways. As Ca2+ release was the first described feature of the noncanonical pathway, and as Ca2+ probably plays a key role in the activation of CamKII and PKC, we have named this Wnt pathway the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway.

Lack of correlation between exercise capacity and indexes of resting left ventricular performance in heart failure

Symptoms of congestive heart failure occur most commonly during exercise, but cardiac performance is usually quantitated at rest. The relation between exercise capacity and measurements of cardiac performance at rest is little known. Treadmill exercise was performed in 21 patients with heart failure due to cardiomyopathy. Exercise duration averaged 9.1 +/- 0.7 (standard error of the mean) minutes (normal value 12 or more minutes) and did not correlate with resting ejection fraction of 26.4 +/- 2.7 percent (r = -0.06). Left ventricular diastolic dimension of 6.6 +/0 0.2 cm, mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening and ratio of preejection period to left ventricular ejection time did not correlate with treadmill time (r = -0.03). Repeat studies after treatment of heart failure also failed to show correlations between changes in exercise capacity and changes in left ventricular performance at rest. Thus, measures of left ventricular performance obtained at rest do not accurately reflect exercise tolerance and symptomatic status of patients with congestive heart failure.

Sequence of MET protooncogene cDNA has features characteristic of the tyrosine kinase family of growth-factor receptors

We isolated overlapping cDNA clones corresponding to the major MET protooncogene transcript. The cDNA nucleotide sequence contained an open reading frame of 1408 amino acids with features characteristic of the tyrosine kinase family of growth factor receptors. These features include a putative 24-amino acid signal peptide and a candidate, hybrophobic, membrane-spanning segment of 23 amino acids, which defines an extracellular domain of 926 amino acids that could serve as a ligand-binding domain. A putative intracellular domain 435 amino acids long shows high homology with the SRC family of tyrosine kinases and within the kinase domain is most homologous with the human insulin receptor (44%) and v-abl (41%). Despite these similarities, however, we found no apparent sequence homology to other growth factor receptors in the putative ligand-binding domain. We conclude from these results that the MET protooncogene is a cell-surface receptor for an as-yet-unknown ligand.

Mechanism of met oncogene activation

The met oncogene activated in vitro by treatment of a human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cell line with N-methyl-N'-nitronitrosoguanidine (MNNG) is related to the tyrosine kinase gene family. Probes from the met oncogene locus recognize two distinct transcripts of 9.0 kb and 10.0 kb which are independently expressed in a cell-type-specific fashion. While the met proto-oncogene locus expresses the 9.0 kb RNA and maps to human chromosome 7q21-31, the locus expressing the 10.0 kb RNA, (tpr; translocated promoter region) maps to human chromosome 1. Both MNNG-HOS cells and met NIH 3T3 transformants express a novel 5.0 kb RNA which represents a hybrid transcript with 5' sequences derived from tpr and 3' sequences from the met proto-oncogene. Treating HOS cells in vitro with MNNG, a known clastogenic carcinogen, resulted in fusion of two chromosomally disparate loci, met and tpr, generating the active met oncogene.

InIB-dependent internalization of Listeria is mediated by the Met receptor tyrosine kinase

The Listeria monocytogenes surface protein InlB promotes bacterial entry into mammalian cells. Here, we identify a cellular surface receptor required for InlB-mediated entry. Treatment of mammalian cells with InlB protein or infection with L. monocytogenes induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of Met, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) for which the only known ligand is Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF). Like HGF, InlB binds to the extracellular domain of Met and induces "scattering" of epithelial cells. Experiments with Met-positive and Met-deficient cell lines demonstrate that Met is required for InlB-dependent entry of L. monocytogenes. InlB is a novel Met agonist that induces bacterial entry through exploitation of a host RTK pathway.

Protein kinase C is differentially stimulated by Wnt and Frizzled homologs in a G-protein-dependent manner

In studies of developmental signaling pathways stimulated by the Wnt proteins and their receptors, Xenopus Wnt-5A (Xwnt-5A) and a prospective Wnt receptor, rat Frizzled 2 (Rfz2), have been shown to stimulate inositol signaling and Ca2+ fluxes in zebrafish [1] [2] [3]. As protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms can respond to Ca2+ signals [4], we asked whether expression of different Wnt and Frizzled homologs modulates PKC. Expression of Rfz2 and Xwnt-5A resulted in translocation of PKC to the plasma membrane, whereas expression of rat Frizzled 1 (Rfz1), which activates a Wnt pathway using beta-catenin but not Ca2+ fluxes [5], did not. Rfz2 and Xwnt-5A were also able to stimulate PKC activity in an in vitro kinase assay. Agents that inhibit Rfz2-induced signaling through G-protein subunits blocked Rfz2-induced translocation of PKC. To determine if other Frizzled homologs differentially stimulate PKC, we tested mouse Frizzled (Mfz) homologs for their ability to induce PKC translocation relative to their ability to induce the expression of two target genes of beta-catenin, siamois and Xnr3. Mfz7 and Mfz8 stimulated siamois and Xnr3 expression but not PKC activation, whereas Mfz3, Mfz4 and Mfz6 reciprocally stimulated PKC activation but not expression of siamois or Xnr3. These results demonstrate that some but not all Wnt and Frizzled signals modulate PKC localization and stimulate PKC activity via a G-protein-dependent mechanism. In agreement with other studies [1] [2] [3]. [6] [7] these data support the existence of multiple Wnt and Frizzled signaling pathways in vertebrates.

Mutation of the c-Cbl TKB domain binding site on the Met receptor tyrosine kinase converts it into a transforming protein

The c-Cbl protooncogene is a negative regulator for several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) through its ability to promote their polyubiquitination. Hence, uncoupling c-Cbl from RTKs may lead to their deregulation. In testing this, we show that c-Cbl promotes ubiquitination of the Met RTK. This requires the c-Cbl tyrosine kinase binding (TKB) domain and a juxtamembrane tyrosine residue on Met. This tyrosine provides a direct binding site for the c-Cbl TKB domain, and is absent in the rearranged oncogenic Tpr-Met variant. A Met receptor, where the juxtamembrane tyrosine is replaced by phenylalanine, is not ubiquitinated and has transforming activity in fibroblast and epithelial cells. We propose the uncoupling of c-Cbl from RTKs as a mechanism contributing to their oncogenic activation.

Hypoxia inhibits G1/S transition through regulation of p27 expression

Mammalian cellular responses to hypoxia include adaptive metabolic changes and a G1 cell cycle arrest. Although transcriptional regulation of metabolic genes by the hypoxia-induced transcription factor (HIF-1) has been established, the mechanism for the hypoxia-induced G1 arrest is not known. By using genetically defined primary wild-type murine embryo fibroblasts and those nullizygous for regulators of the G1/S checkpoint, we observed that the retinoblastoma protein is essential for the G1/S hypoxia-induced checkpoint, whereas p53 and p21 are not required. In addition, we found that the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 is induced by hypoxia, thereby inhibiting CDK2 activity and forestalling S phase entry through retinoblastoma protein hypophosphorylation. Reduction or absence of p27 abrogated the hypoxia-induced G1 checkpoint, suggesting that it is a key regulator of G1/S transition in hypoxic cells. Intriguingly, hypoxic induction of p27 appears to be transcriptional and through an HIF-1-independent region of its proximal promoter. This demonstration of the molecular mechanism of hypoxia-induced G1/S regulation provides insight into a fundamental response of mammalian cells to low oxygen tension.

Reprogramming of the tumour microenvironment by stromal PTEN-regulated miR-320

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (Pten) in stromal fibroblasts suppresses epithelial mammary tumors, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Using proteomic and expression profiling, we show that Pten loss from mammary stromal fibroblasts activates an oncogenic secretome that orchestrates the transcriptional reprogramming of other cell types in the microenvironment. Downregulation of miR-320 and upregulation of one of its direct targets, ETS2, are critical events in Pten-deleted stromal fibroblasts responsible for inducing this oncogenic secretome, which in turn promotes tumor angiogenesis and tumor cell invasion. Expression of the Pten-miR-320-Ets2 regulated secretome distinguished human normal breast stroma from tumor stroma and robustly correlated with recurrence in breast cancer patients. This work reveals miR-320 as a critical component of the Pten tumor suppressor axis that acts in stromal fibroblasts to reprogram the tumor microenvironment and curtail tumor progression.

A combination of HLA-DQ beta Asp57-negative and HLA DQ alpha Arg52 confers susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Family and population studies indicate that predisposition to insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is polygenic. It has been shown that the absence of the aspartic acid in position 57 (Asp57) of the DQ beta chain is positively correlated to IDDM. However, Asp57-negative haplotypes do not always confer susceptibility and conversely, some Asp57-positive haplotypes seem to be disease associated. It has been suggested that other HLA class II sequences, probably belonging to the HLA DQA1 gene, confer susceptibility to IDDM. This report, based on extensive oligonucleotide dot blot hybridization of PCR-amplified DQA1 and DQB1 genes, reinforces the importance of the Asp57-negative DQ beta chain, but also introduces the possibility that a DQ alpha chain bearing an arginine in position 52 (Arg52) confers susceptibility to IDDM. A molecular model of susceptibility to IDDM is proposed. This model strongly suggests that the disease susceptibility correlates quantitatively with the expression at the cell surface of a heterodimer, composed of a DQ alpha-chain bearing an Arg52 and a DQ beta chain lacking an Asp57. In view of the respective positions of the two residues and their charge, we might anticipate that both residues DQ beta Asp57 and DQ alpha Arg52 are critical for modulation of susceptibility, presumably via viral-antigenic peptide and/or autoantigen presentation.

The human met oncogene is related to the tyrosine kinase oncogenes

The met oncogene was previously isolated from a chemically transformed human cell line, MNNG-HOS. Recent evidence has demonstrated that two classes of transcripts are expressed from the met proto-oncogene locus. The met oncogene, however, expresses an aberrant RNA which has sequences in common with both transcripts. We now report partial nucleotide sequencing of the human met oncogene and show that met is related to the protein kinase oncogenes and growth factor receptors. The met nucleotide sequence is not identical to that of any published gene, and it is more closely homologous to the tyrosine kinases than to the serine/threonine kinases. Within the tyrosine kinase family, the sequenced met domains are most closely related to the human insulin receptor and the viral abl gene. In situ chromosome hybridization has mapped met to human chromosome 7 band 7q21-q31, a location distinct from that of other kinases. This is also a region associated with nonrandom chromosomal deletions observed in a portion of patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia. The accompanying paper shows that this chromosomal locus is also tightly linked with the human heredity disease cystic fibrosis.

Activation of cdc42, rac, PAK, and rho-kinase in response to hepatocyte growth factor differentially regulates epithelial cell colony spreading and dissociation

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the ligand for the Met receptor tyrosine kinase, is a potent modulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and dispersal of epithelial cells, processes that play crucial roles in tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. Little is known about the Met-dependent proximal signals that regulate these events. We show that HGF stimulation of epithelial cells leads to activation of the Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and Rac, concomitant with the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia. Notably, HGF-dependent activation of Rac but not Cdc42 is dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Moreover, HGF-induced lamellipodia formation and cell spreading require phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and are inhibited by dominant negative Cdc42 or Rac. HGF induces activation of the Cdc42/Rac-regulated p21-activated kinase (PAK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and translocation of Rac, PAK, and Rho-dependent Rho-kinase to membrane ruffles. Use of dominant negative and activated mutants reveals an essential role for PAK but not Rho-kinase in HGF-induced epithelial cell spreading, whereas Rho-kinase activity is required for the formation of focal adhesions and stress fibers in response to HGF. We conclude that PAK and Rho-kinase play opposing roles in epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by HGF, and provide new insight regarding the role of Cdc42 in these events.

The tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 is required for sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and epithelial morphogenesis downstream from the met receptor tyrosine kinase

Epithelial morphogenesis is critical during development and wound healing, and alterations in this program contribute to neoplasia. Met, the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor, promotes a morphogenic program in epithelial cell lines in matrix cultures. Previous studies have identified Gab1, the major phosphorylated protein following Met activation, as important for the morphogenic response. Gab1 is a docking protein that couples the Met receptor with multiple signaling proteins, including phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, phospholipase Cgamma, the adapter protein Crk, and the tyrosine specific phosphatase SHP-2. HGF induces sustained phosphorylation of Gab1 and sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) in epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. In contrast, epidermal growth factor fails to promote a morphogenic program and induces transient Gab1 phosphorylation and Erk activation. To elucidate the Gab1-dependent signals required for epithelial morphogenesis, we undertook a structure-function approach and demonstrate that association of Gab1 with the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 is required for sustained Erk activation and for epithelial morphogenesis downstream from the Met receptor. Epithelial cells expressing a Gab1 mutant protein unable to recruit SHP-2 elicit a transient activation of Erk in response to HGF. Moreover, SHP-2 catalytic activity is required, since the expression of a catalytically inactive SHP-2 mutant, C/S, abrogates sustained activation of Erk and epithelial morphogenesis by the Met receptor. These data identify SHP-2 as a positive modulator of Erk activity and epithelial morphogenesis downstream from the Met receptor.

Preliminary epidemiological assessment of MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea, May to June 2015

South Korea is experiencing the largest outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infections outside the Arabian Peninsula, with 166 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 24 deaths up to 19 June 2015. We estimated that the mean incubation period was 6.7 days and the mean serial interval 12.6 days. We found it unlikely that infectiousness precedes symptom onset. Based on currently available data, we predict an overall case fatality risk of 21% (95% credible interval: 14–31).

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) may be linked to the BF and HLA loci on human chromosome 6

Although certain forms of epilepsy have long been suspected to be inherited, heterogeneity has made it difficult to find the genes responsible for any subtypes. We found that families ascertained through patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy show linkage with the BF and HLA loci on human chromosome 6. There is some evidence that the locus may be outside the HLA complex and no evidence as yet of an association with any allele of the HLA complex.

Radiation-induced assembly of Rad51 and Rad52 recombination complex requires ATM and c-Abl

Cells from individuals with the recessive cancer-prone disorder ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation (I-R). ATM (mutated in A-T) is a protein kinase whose activity is stimulated by I-R. c-Abl, a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, interacts with ATM and is activated by ATM following I-R. Rad51 is a homologue of bacterial RecA protein required for DNA recombination and repair. Here we demonstrate that there is an I-R-induced Rad51 tyrosine phosphorylation, and this induction is dependent on both ATM and c-Abl. ATM, c-Abl, and Rad51 can be co-immunoprecipitated from cell extracts. Consistent with the physical interaction, c-Abl phosphorylates Rad51 in vitro and in vivo. In assays using purified components, phosphorylation of Rad51 by c-Abl enhances complex formation between Rad51 and Rad52, which cooperates with Rad51 in recombination and repair. After I-R, an increase in association between Rad51 and Rad52 occurs in wild-type cells but not in cells with mutations that compromise ATM or c-Abl. Our data suggest signaling mediated through ATM, and c-Abl is required for the correct post-translational modification of Rad51, which is critical for the assembly of Rad51 repair protein complex following I-R.

Hepatocyte growth factor-induced scatter of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells requires phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a multifunctional cytokine that induces mitogenesis, motility, invasion, and morphogenesis of several epithelial and endothelial cell lines in culture. The receptor for HGF/SF has been identified as the Met tyrosine kinase. To investigate the signaling pathways that are involved in these events, we have generated chimeric receptors containing the extracellular domain of the colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor fused to the transmembrane and intracellular domains of the Met receptor (MET). Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells expressing the CSF-MET chimera dissociate and scatter in response to CSF-1. However, cells expressing a mutant CSF-MET receptor containing a phenylalanine substitution for tyrosine 1356 were unable to scatter or form branching tubules following stimulation with CSF-1. Tyrosine 1356 is essential for the recruitment of multiple substrates including the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase, phospholipase C gamma, and Grb2. In this study, we have investigated the role of PI3-kinase and a downstream target of PI3-kinase, pp70S6K, in the induction of MDCK cell scatter in response to HGF/SF. Our results demonstrate that following stimulation with HGF/SF, activation of PI3-kinase but not pp70S6K is essential for MDCK cell scatter.

Recombinant Newcastle disease virus as a vaccine vector

A complete cDNA clone of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine strain Hitchner B1 was constructed, and infectious recombinant virus expressing an influenza virus hemagglutinin was generated by reverse genetics. The rescued virus induces a strong humoral antibody response against influenza virus and provides complete protection against a lethal dose of influenza virus challenge in mice, demonstrating the potential of recombinant NDV as a vaccine vector.

Molecular mechanism for the Shp-2 tyrosine phosphatase function in promoting growth factor stimulation of Erk activity

We have previously shown that activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) by epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment was significantly decreased in mouse fibroblast cells expressing a mutant Shp-2 molecule lacking 65 amino acids in the SH2-N domain, Shp-2(Delta46-110). To address the molecular mechanism for the positive role of Shp-2 in mediating Erk induction, we evaluated the activation of signaling components upstream of Erk in Shp-2 mutant cells. EGF-stimulated Ras, Raf, and Mek activation was significantly attenuated in Shp-2 mutant cells, suggesting that Shp-2 acts to promote Ras activation or to suppress the down-regulation of activated Ras. Biochemical analyses indicate that upon EGF stimulation, Shp-2 is recruited into a multiprotein complex assembled on the Gab1 docking molecule and that Shp-2 seems to exert its biological function by specifically dephosphorylating an unidentified molecule of 90 kDa in the complex. The mutant Shp-2(Delta46-110) molecule failed to participate in the Gab1-organized complex for dephosphorylation of p90, correlating with a defective activation of the Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk cascade in EGF-treated Shp-2 mutant cells. Evidence is also presented that Shp-2 does not appear to modulate the signal relay from EGF receptor to Ras through the Shc, Grb2, and Sos proteins. These results begin to elucidate the mechanism of Shp-2 function downstream of a receptor tyrosine kinase to promote the activation of the Ras-Erk pathway, with potential therapeutic applications in cancer treatment.

The DNA repair endonuclease XPG binds to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and shares sequence elements with the PCNA-binding regions of FEN-1 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a DNA polymerase accessory factor that is required for DNA replication during S phase of the cell cycle and for resynthesis during nucleotide excision repair of damaged DNA. PCNA binds to flap endonuclease 1 (FEN-1), a structure-specific endonuclease involved in DNA replication. Here we report the direct physical interaction of PCNA with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) G, a structure-specific repair endonuclease that is homologous to FEN-1. We have identified a 28-amino acid region of human FEN-1 (residues 328-355) and a 29-amino acid region of human XPG (residues 981-1009) that contains the PCNA binding activity. These regions share key hydrophobic residues with the PCNA-binding domain of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Waf1/Cip1), and all three competed with one another for binding to PCNA. A conserved arginine in FEN-1 (Arg339) and XPG (Arg992) was found to be crucial for PCNA binding activity. R992A and R992E mutant forms of XPG failed to fully reconstitute nucleotide excision repair in an in vivo complementation assay. These results raise the possibility of a mechanistic linkage between excision and repair synthesis that is mediated by PCNA.

Physical interaction between human RAD52 and RPA is required for homologous recombination in mammalian cells

The yeast RAD52 protein is essential for DNA double-strand break repair, and meiotic and mitotic recombination. RPA is a protein complex of three subunits (70, 34, and 11 kDa) that has been shown to be involved in DNA replication, nucleotide excision repair, and homologous recombination. Here, we demonstrate a physical interaction between human RAD52 and RPA in vivo and in vitro. In addition, the domain (amino acids 221-280) in RAD52 protein that mediates the interaction with the 34-kDa subunit of RPA was also determined. Overexpression of mutant RAD52 proteins lacking the interaction domain (amino acids 221-240, 241-260, and 261-280) failed to induce homologous recombination in monkey cells. We have previously shown that overexpression of human RAD52 induced homologous recombination in these cells. These results suggest that direct physical interactions between RAD52 and RPA are essential for homologous recombination in mammalian cells.

Histologic Analysis of Retrieved Clots in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Correlation with Stroke Etiology and Gradient-Echo MRI

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It is unclear whether clot composition analysis is helpful to predict a stroke mechanism in acute large vessel occlusion. In addition, the relationship between early vessel signs on imaging studies and clot compositions has been poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between clot composition and stroke etiology following mechanical thrombectomy and to investigate the effect of varied clot compositions on gradient-echo MR imaging of clots.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Histopathologic analysis of retrieved clots from 37 patients with acute MCA occlusion was performed. Patients underwent gradient-echo imaging before endovascular therapy. Retrieved clots underwent semiquantitative proportion analysis to quantify red blood cells, fibrin, platelets, and white blood cells by area. Correlations between clot compositions and stroke subtypes and susceptibility vessel signs on gradient-echo imaging were assessed.

RESULTS

Stroke etiology was classified as cardioembolism in 22 patients (59.4%), large-artery atherosclerosis in 8 (21.6%), and undetermined in 7 (18.9%). The clots from cardioembolism had a significantly higher proportion of red blood cells (37.8% versus 16.9%, P = .031) and a lower proportion of fibrin (32.3% versus 48.5%, P = .044) compared with those from large-artery atherosclerosis. The proportion of red blood cells was significantly higher in clots with a susceptibility vessel sign than in those without it (48.0% versus 1.9%, P < .001), whereas the proportions of fibrin (26.4% versus 57.0%, P < .001) and platelets (22.6% versus 36.9%, P = .011) were significantly higher in clots without a susceptibility vessel sign than those with it.

CONCLUSIONS

The histologic composition of clots retrieved from cerebral arteries in patients with acute stroke differs between those with cardioembolism and large-artery atherosclerosis. In addition, a susceptibility vessel sign on gradient-echo imaging is strongly associated with a high proportion of red blood cells and a low proportion of fibrin and platelets in retrieved clots.

Three forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone characterized from brains of one species

Most vertebrate species have more than one form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in their brains, but it is not clear whether each form has a distinct function. We report that sea bream (Sparus aurata) brains have three forms of GnRH, one of which is described herein and is called sea bream GnRH (sbGnRH). The primary structures of two forms were determined by Edman degradation and mass spectral analysis. The amino acid sequence of sbGnRH is pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Ser-Pro-Gly-NH2. The second peptide is identical to a form originally isolated from chicken brains (cGnRH-II): pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-His-Gly-Trp-Tyr-Pro-Gly-NH2. cGnRH-II is the most ancient form of GnRH identified to date in jawed fish and the most prevalent form throughout the vertebrates. The third form of GnRH has previously been identified as salmon GnRH by cDNA studies and is confirmed here by chromatographic and immunological studies. Phylogenetic distribution of GnRH peptides suggests sbGnRH arose in the perch-like fish as a gene duplication of the existing cGnRH-II or salmon GnRH genes. All three identified GnRH peptides were synthesized and shown to release gonadotropin in vivo in the sea bream. The dominant form of GnRH stored in the pituitary was sbGnRH. Not only was the content of sbGnRH 500-fold greater than that of salmon GnRH but also cGnRH-II was not detected in the pituitary. The latter evidence suggests that sbGnRH is the endogenous releaser of gonadotropin II.