Institution: | a Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada S7N 0W8 b Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada S7N 0W8 |
Abstract: | We report the equine (Equs equs) and elk (Cervus elaphus) pituitary pre-prolactin (PRL) cDNA cloning, and their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. Pre-PRL cDNA was obtained by RNA ligation mediated-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The elk pre-PRL cDNA exhibits two polymorphisms at positions 96 and 672, which are silent since they encode for the same amino acids, proline and isoleucine, respectively. We found no polymorphisms in the equine pre-PRL cDNA. The deduced amino acid sequence of the equine pre-PRL is 99% identical to the previously reported protein sequence. Pre-PRL mRNA is <1 kb in length and is highly expressed in the anterior pituitary gland, as demonstrated by Northern hybridization analysis. In summary, we cloned and sequenced the equine and elk pre-PRL cDNAs. The deduced amino acid sequence of elk and equine pre-PRL appears to be moderately conserved among other mammalian species. The polymorphic sites found in the elk cDNA could potentially be used in parentage testing and gene mapping. |