Nucleotide sequence and growth hormone-regulated expression of salmon insulin-like growth factor I mRNA.

Protein and cDNA sequence analysis have revealed that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) has been highly conserved among several mammalian species. Using the combined techniques of polymerase chain reaction and molecular cloning, we have now obtained the cDNA sequence encoding preproIGF-I from a teleost species, Oncorhynchus kisutch (coho salmon). The 2020 nucleotide (nt) cloned cDNA sequence contains a 528 nt open reading frame encoding 176 amino acids in preproIGF-I and 175 nt and 1317 nt of flanking 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of salmon IGF-I is highly conserved relative to its mammalian homologues and there are only 14 amino acid differences out of 70 between salmon and human IGF-I. Interestingly, the C-terminal E domain of salmon proIGF-I, which is presumed to be proteolytically cleaved during biosynthesis, also shows striking amino acid sequence homology with its mammalian counterpart, except for an internal 27 residue segment that is unique to salmon proIGF-I. Northern analysis revealed that salmon preproIGF-I mRNA consists predominantly of a single 3900 nt sized band although minor bands were also observed after prolonged autoradiographic exposure. The RNA analysis also revealed that the level of preproIGF-I mRNA is increased 6-fold in liver RNA isolated from salmon injected with bovine GH, as compared to untreated controls. These results demonstrate that the primary structure and regulated expression of IGF-I by GH have been conserved in teleosts.