The trout possesses two POMC genes as a result of duplication of its genome some 25-100 million years ago, One of the POMC molecules exhibits a unique C-terminal extension of 25 amino acid residues which is not found in any other POMC characterized so far, In order to isolate possible novel peptides derived from trout POMC-A, we have raised antibodies against two synthetic epitopes derived from the C-terminal region of the precursor, Two native decapeptides were isolated in pure form from an extract of trout pituitary. The primary structures of these peptides were established as Glu-Gln-Trp-Gly-Arg-Glu-Glu-Gly-Glu-Glu and Ala-Leu-Gly-Glu-Arg-Lys-Tyr-His-Phe-GLn-NH2. The structure of the trout POMC-A cDNA reveals that both peptides are flanked by pairs of basic amino acids or a glycine residue, indicating that they can actually be generated during post-translational processing of POMC-A. (C) 1997 Academic Press.
Tollemer, H ; Leprince, Jérôme ; Galas, L ; Vandesande, F. ; LeMevel, JC ; et. al. Isolation and structural characterization of two novel peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin in the pituitary of the rainbow trout. In: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 238, no. 2, p. 653-657 (1997)
