Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (Gnrhr) gene knock out: Normal growth and development of sensory, motor and spatial orientation behavior but altered metabolism in neonatal and prepubertal mice.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is important in the control of reproduction, but its actions in non-reproductive processes are less well known. In this study we examined the effect of disrupting the GnRH receptor in mice to determine if growth, metabolism or behaviors that are not associated with reproduction were affected. To minimize the effects of other hormones such as FSH, LH and sex steroids, the neonatal-prepubertal period of 2 to 28 days of age was selected.

Proglucagons in vertebrates: Expression and processing of multiple genes in a bony fish.

In contrast to mammals, where a single proglucagon (PG) gene encodes three peptides: glucagon, glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-1; GLP-2), many non-mammalian vertebrates carry multiple PG genes. Here, we investigate proglucagon mRNA sequences, their tissue expression and processing in a diploid bony fish. Copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) express two independent genes coding for distinct proglucagon sequences (PG I, PG II), with PG II lacking the GLP-2 sequence.

Sexual differentiation of the brain requires perinatal kisspeptin-GnRH neuron signaling.

Sex differences in brain function underlie robust differences between males and females in both normal and disease states. Although alternative mechanisms exist, sexual differentiation of the male mammalian brain is initiated predominantly by testosterone secreted by the testes during the perinatal period. Despite considerable advances in understanding how testosterone and its metabolite estradiol sexually differentiate the brain, little is known about the mechanism that generates the male-specific perinatal testosterone surge.

GnRH receptors and peptides: skating backward.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its receptor are essential for reproduction in vertebrates. Although there are three major types of GnRH peptides and two major types of receptors in vertebrates, the pattern of distribution is unusual. Evidence is presented from genome mining that type I GnRHRs are not restricted to mammals, but can be found in the lobe-finned and cartilaginous fishes.

Evolution of GnRH: diving deeper.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) plays a central role in vertebrate reproduction. The evolutionary origin of this neuropeptide and its receptor is not obvious, but the advent of genomics makes it possible to examine the roots of GnRH and delve deeper into its ancestral relationships. New peptide sequences identified in invertebrates from annelids to tunicates reveal GnRH-like peptides of 10-12 amino acids.

Disruption of the single copy gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in mice by gene trap: severe reduction of reproductive organs and functions in developing and adult mice.

Mutations in the GnRH receptor gene (GNRHR) can result in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in humans. Unlike most mammals, mice lack a second form of GnRH (GnRH2) and a type 2 GnRH receptor. To determine whether the GnRH receptor is critical at all stages of reproduction and whether this receptor has additional physiological functions in developing and adult mice, we have generated mice from an embryonic stem cell line containing a retroviral vector with multiple stop codons inserted into intron 1 of the Gnrhr gene.

Evolution of glutamine synthetase in vertebrates: multiple glutamine synthetase genes expressed in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Glutamine synthetase (GSase) is a key enzyme in nitrogen metabolism and encoded by a single gene in mammals. Using PCR cloning techniques, including RT-PCR from total RNA and PCR from a cDNA library, we find evidence of four expressed GSase mRNAs for the tetraploid rainbow trout. For two of these mRNAs (Onmy-GS01, -GS02) we characterize the full-length coding regions, and for two others (Onmy-GS03, -GS04), we describe partial sequences.