Agouti signalling protein is an inverse agonist to the wildtype and agonist to the melanic variant of the melanocortin-1 receptor in the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

The melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) is a key regulator of mammalian pigmentation. Melanism in the grey squirrel is associated with an eight amino acid deletion in the mutant melanocortin-1 receptor with 24 base pair deletion (MC1RΔ24) variant. We demonstrate that the MC1RΔ24 exhibits a higher basal activity than the wildtype MC1R (MC1R-wt).

Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene sequence variation and melanism in the gray (Sciurus carolinensis), fox (Sciurus niger), and red (Sciurus vulgaris) squirrel.

Sequence variations in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene are associated with melanism in many different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. The gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), found in the British Isles, was introduced from North America in the late 19th century. Melanism in the British gray squirrel is associated with a 24-bp deletion in the MC1R.

Initial steps of insulin signaling and glucose transport are defective in the type 2 diabetic rat heart.

Objective: Whole body insulin resistance and diabetes are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, yet little is known about insulin resistance in the diabetic heart. The aim of this work was to define the insulin response in hearts of the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat, a polygenic model of spontaneous type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We measured D[2-3H]glucose uptake before and after insulin stimulation, plus initial steps of the insulin signaling pathway after insulin infusion via the caudal vena cava in hearts from the male Wistar and spontaneously diabetic GK rats.