Primary sequence, tissue specificity and mRNA expression of the Na(+),K (+) -ATPase β1 subunit in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

The entire amino acid coding sequence of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase β1 isoform was cloned from the gill of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) by a PCR based method. The amino acid sequence translated from the nucleotide sequence shared 61.4 and 56.2% homology respectively with previously published Na(+),K(+)-ATPase β1 isoform sequences from the clawed toad (Xenopus laevis) and the ray (Torpedo californica) an elasmobranch fish. The size of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase β1 mRNA transcript in eel tissues was demonstrated to be 2.35 Kb. Detectable levels of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase β1 mRNA were found at some level in all tissues except liver and cardiac muscle. The level of branchial Na(+),K(+)-ATPase β1 mRNA was observed to increase after the adaptation of fresh water eels to normal or double concentration sea water.