GNRH MOLECULAR VARIANTS IN THE BRAIN AND PITUITARY-GLAND OF PEJERREY,ODONTESTHES BONARIENSIS (ATHERINIFORMES) - IMMUNOLOGICAL AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE FOR THE PRESENCE OF A NOVEL MOLECULAR VARIANT

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) molecular variants in the brain and pituitary gland of pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Atheriniform es), were characterized by gradient reverse phase high performance liq uid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Eluted fractions were tested in radioimm unoassays with different antisera. The results show that the brain ext ract contains three forms of GnRH: one is immunologically and chromato graphically similar to cIIGnRH (chicken II), and another is similar to sGnRH (salmon). A third GnRH appears to be chromatographic and immuno logically different from the nine other known forms of the vertebrate hormone. This is the only variant present in the pituitary gland. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.