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Title: MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO PROGLUCAGON (GCG), CLASS B MRNA, COMPLETE CDS

Author
item Richards, Mark
item Poch, Stephen
item McMurtry, John

Submitted to: Genbank
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/22/2005
Publication Date: 10/12/2005
Citation: Richards, M.P., Poch, S.M., McMurtry, J.P. 2005. Meleagris gallopavo preproglucagon B (GCG) mRNA, complete cds [abstract]. GenBank Accession No. DQ217598.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In mammals, the proglucagon gene produces a single identical mRNA transcript in pancreas and intestine. This transcript encodes glucagon and two glucagon-like peptide hormones (GLP-1 and GLP-2). Previously, we identified two distinct proglucagon mRNA transcripts in chickens, one that encodes glucagon and GLP-1 but not GLP-2 and another that encodes glucagon and both GLPs. The objective of this work was to isolate and characterize proglucagon mRNA transcripts in the domestic turkey. A molecular cloning strategy involving primer-directed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of 5’ and 3’ cDNA ends (5’ and 3’ RACE) was developed to sequence 1179 bp of a turkey pancreas-derived cDNA corresponding to the complete coding region and the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions of a proglucagon class B mRNA transcript. Turkey proglucagon class B mRNA codes for a 206 amino acid preproprotein that includes a signal peptide, glucagon, GLP-1 and GLP-2 comprised of 22, 29, 37 and 33 amino acids, respectively. Class B mRNA was distinguished by its larger open reading frame (compared to class A) that included coding sequence for GLP-2 due to alternate splicing of the 3’ end of the initial gene transcript. Together, this sequence data confirms the existence and provides additional information about the structure and function of the proglucagon gene in turkeys. Such data will be useful in studying the structure and expression of this gene, as well as, in further defining the function of glucagon and GLP hormones in poultry.