Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of full-length of cDNA coding for porcine gastrin.

We have cloned in EScherichia coli a cDNA copy of mRNA coding for the porcine antral mucosal hormone preprogastrin. Full-length double-stranded cDNA was synthesized and inserted into the Pst I endonuclease site in plasmid pBR322 by using a homopolymeric extension technique. A partial cDNA clone was used as a probe to identify a complete cDNA clone in a cDNA library by colony hybridization. Four positive clones were isolated, one of which corresponded to porcine preprogastrin mRNA. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert (602 nucleotides) revealed 312 nucleotides in the entire mRNA coding region, 61 nucleotides in the 5' untranslated region, 86 nucleotides in the 3'untranslated region, and a poly(A) tail of 86 nucleotides. Gastrin is located near the carboxyl end of preprogastrin and is flanked at both its amino and carboxyl ends by a pair of basic amino acid residues. The presence of glycine and a pair of basic amino acid residues adjacent in the carboxyl-terminal phenylalanine of gastrin indicates that the glycine and a pair of basic amino acid residues may be required for the enzymatic amidation of phenylalanine to phenylalanine amide.