Genes for three different isoforms of transforming growth factor-beta are present in plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) DNA

Although transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) genes have been describ ed in several species of fish, whether an individual fish possesses more th an one member of this multigene family has yet to be established. During th is study, three DNA fragments were isolated from the plaice (Pleuronectes p latessa) by homology cloning. Sequence analysis revealed that each fragment closely resembled a distinct member of the TGF-beta family. Each putative plaice TGF-beta clustered individually with a different TGF-beta subgroup d uring phylogenetic analysis suggesting that these may be the plaice homolog ues of vertebrate TGF-beta 1/4/5, -beta 2 or -beta 3. The first direct evid ence for the presence of multiple TGF-beta genes in a single fish species i s presented. (C) 2000 Academic Press.