CLONING OF A GAR (LEPISOSTEUS-OSSEUS) GH CDNA - TRENDS IN ACTINOPTERYGIAN GH STRUCTURE

A cDNA containing the sequence of GH was cloned and sequenced from a p ituitary cDNA library for the holostean fish Lepisosteus osseus (commo n name: gar). The gar GH cDNA contained an open reading frame of 633 n ucleotides and a 3' untranslated region (including the terminal codon TAG) of 1058 nucleotides. The overall length of the gar GH cDNA includ ing leader sequence, signal sequence, hormone sequence and 3' untransl ated 1713 nucleotides. Thus, the gar GH the largest vertebrate GH cDNA yet cloned. A comparison of GH sequences from ancient (holostean fish es-gar and bowfin; one chondrostean fish-the Russian sturgeon) and mor e modern (27 species of teleosts) members of class Actinopterygii indi cate that members of this class have maintained many of residues deeme d necessary for motifs (intramolecular relationships) observed mammals .