Skip Navigation



MBE Advance Access published online on August 29, 2003

Molecular Biology and Evolution, doi:10.1093/molbev/msg224
Molecular Biology and Evolution © Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution 2003; all rights reserved
This Article
Right arrow Advance Access manuscript (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Supplementary Material
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
21/1/14    most recent
msg224v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ruuskanen, J.
Right arrow Articles by Scheinin, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ruuskanen, J.
Right arrow Articles by Scheinin, M.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Accepted July 19, 2003
© 2003 Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution

Original Articles

Identification of Duplicated Fourth {alpha}2-Adrenergic Receptor Subtype by Cloning and Mapping of Five Receptor Genes in Zebrafish

Jori Ruuskanen 1, Henri Xhaard 2, Anne Marjamäki 3, Erik Salaneck 4, Tiina Salminen 2, Yi-Lin Yan 5, John H. Postlethwait 5, Mark S. Johnson 2, Dan Larhammar 4, and Mika Scheinin 3*

1 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
2 Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
3 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
4 Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Pharmacology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
5 Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mschein{at}utu.fi.


   Abstract

The {alpha}2-adrenergic receptors ({alpha}2-ARs) belong to the large family of rhodopsin-like G-protein coupled receptors that share a common structure of 7 transmembrane (TM) {alpha}-helices. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the number of {alpha}2-AR genes in a teleost fish, the zebrafish (Danio rerio); (2) to study the gene duplication events that generated the {alpha}2-AR subtypes; and (3) to study changes in receptor structure that have occurred since the divergence of the mammalian and fish lineages. Here we report the cloning and chromosomal mapping of fish orthologs for all three mammalian {alpha}2-ARs. In addition, we identified a fourth {alpha}2-AR subtype with two duplicates in zebrafish. Chromosomal mapping showed that the zebrafish {alpha}2-AR genes are located within conserved chromosomal segments, consistent with the origin of the four {alpha}2-AR subtypes by two rounds of chromosome or block duplication prior to the divergence of the ray fin fish and tetrapod lineages. Thus, the fourth subtype has apparently been present in the common ancestor of vertebrates, but has been deleted or is yet to be identified in mammals. The overall percentage identity between the fish and mammalian orthologs is 53-67%, and in the TM regions 80-87%. These values are clearly lower than what is observed between mammalian orthologs. Still, all of the residues thought to be important for {alpha}2-adrenergic ligand binding are conserved across species and subtypes, and even the most divergent regions of the fish receptors show clear ‘molecular fingerprints' typical for orthologs of a given subtype.

Key Words: genome duplication, synteny, fish, {alpha}2-adrenergic receptor


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
R. Guinzberg, D. Cortes, A. Diaz-Cruz, H. Riveros-Rosas, R. Villalobos-Molina, and E. Pina
Inosine released after hypoxia activates hepatic glucose liberation through A3 adenosine receptors
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, May 1, 2006; 290(5): E940 - E951.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
X. Cai and Y. Zhang
Molecular Evolution of the Ankyrin Gene Family
Mol. Biol. Evol., March 1, 2006; 23(3): 550 - 558.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Protein Eng Des SelHome page
V.-P. Jaakola, J. Prilusky, J. L. Sussman, and A. Goldman
G protein-coupled receptors show unusual patterns of intrinsic unfolding
Protein Eng. Des. Sel., February 1, 2005; 18(2): 103 - 110.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.