Molecular cloning and characterization of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone β-subunit cDNAs

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 28;12(8):e0183545. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183545. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The common gonadotrophic hormone α-subunit (GTHα) has been previously isolated by our research group from A. gigas pituitaries; in the present work the cDNA sequences encoding FSHβ and LHβ subunits have also been isolated from the same species of fish. The FSH β-subunit consists of 126 amino acids with a putative 18 amino acid signal peptide and a 108 amino acid mature peptide, while the LH β-subunit consists of 141 amino acids with a putative 24 amino acid amino acid signal peptide and a 117 amino acid mature peptide. The highest identity, based on the amino acid sequences, was found with the order of Anguilliformes (61%) for FSHβ and of Cypriniformes (76%) for LHβ, followed by Siluriformes, 53% for FSHβ and 75% for LHβ. Interestingly, the identity with the corresponding human amino acid sequences was still remarkable: 45.1% for FSHβ and 51.4% for LHβ. Three dimensional models of ag-FSH and ag-LH, generated by using the crystal structures of h-FSH and h-LH as the respective templates and carried out via comparative modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, suggested the presence of the so-called "seat-belt", favored by a disulfide bond formed between the 3rd and 12th cysteine in both β-subunits. The sequences found will be used for the biotechnological synthesis of A. gigas gonadotrophic hormones (ag-FSH and ag-LH). In a first approach, to ascertain that the cloned transcripts allow the expression of the heterodimeric hormones, ag-FSH has been synthesized in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, preliminarily purified and characterized.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics*
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Fishes / genetics*
  • Fishes / metabolism
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit / genetics*
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit / genetics*
  • Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit / metabolism
  • Pituitary Gland / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit
  • Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the São Paulo State Research Financing Agency (FAPESP), Project N 2012/10779-2 and National Research Council (CNPq - Brasília), Project N 2015-5/142319. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.