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The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 3369-3377 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

Molecular cloning and characterisation of a novel membrane receptor gene from the lobster Jasus edwardsii

Jenny Gaik Imm Khoo* and Frank Y. T. Sin{ddagger}

Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 1, Private Bag 4800, New Zealand
* Present address: Biotechnology Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA

{ddagger}Author for correspondence at present address: Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 1, New Zealand (e-mail: f.sin{at}zool.canterbury.ac.nz)

Accepted June 13, 2001

The eyestalk of the lobster, Jasus edwardsii, is an important source for hormones involved in the regulation of growth and reproduction. How these hormones transfer their messages to the cell and nucleus is not known. This paper describes the cloning, characterization and expression analyses of two genes that code for two membrane-associated peptides that may be involved in signal transduction. These genes, peJK2 and peJK3, were isolated from a cDNA library derived from lobster eyestalk mRNAs. The two clones shared 96.6 % sequence homology, and code for putative proteins of 110 and 113 amino acids, respectively. These were likely to be two allelic forms of the same gene. Northern blot analysis using these clones as probes detected the same mRNA from eyestalk, muscle and epithelial extracts, but with greater intensity in the eyestalk extract. In situ hybridisation also indicated the predominant expression of these genes in the eyestalk. Analysis of the putative protein sequences showed that they contained two transmembrane (TM) helices, a short amino acid sequence sharing high homology with the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) motif in the second TM, a signal sequence between the TMs, and a protein kinase phosphorylation site at the C termini. Sequence analyses therefore suggested that the deduced peptides may function in signal transduction.

Key words: signal transducer, G protein-coupled receptor, membrane protein, lobster, Jasus edwardsii, eyestalk






© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2001