Molecular cloning of the chicken progesterone receptor

To define the functional domains of the progesterone receptor required for gene regulation, complementary DNA (cDNA) clones encoding the chicken progesterone receptor have been isolated from a chicken oviduct lambda gt11 cDNA expression library. Positive clones expressed antigenic determinants that cross-reacted with six monospecific antibodies derived from two independent sources. A 36-amino acid peptide sequence obtained by microsequencing of purified progesterone receptor was encoded by nucleotide sequences in the longest cDNA clone. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the progesterone receptor deduced from the cDNA clones revealed a cysteine-rich region that was homologous to a region found in the estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors and to the avian erythroblastosis virus gag-erb-A fusion protein. Northern blot analysis with chicken progesterone receptor cDNA's indicated the existence of at least three messenger RNA species. These messages were found only in oviduct and could be induced by estrogens.