Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025

Detection of G Protein-coupled Receptor Expression in Mouse Vagal Afferent Neurons using Multiplex In Situ Hybridization
Published on: September 20, 2021
Long-lasting redundant gnrh1/3 expression in GnRH neurons enabled apparent switching of paralog usage during
Chika Fujimori1,2, Kohei Sugimoto1,3, Mio Ishida3
1Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
Abstract:
Expressed subtype of paralogous genes in functionally homologous cells sometimes show differences across species, the reasons for which have not been explained. The present study examined hypophysiotropic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in vertebrates to investigate this mechanism. These neurons express either gnrh1 or gnrh3 paralogs, depending on the species, and apparent switching of the expressed paralogs in them occurred at least four times in vertebrate evolution. First, we found redundant expression of gnrh1 and gnrh3 in a single neuron in piranha and hypothesized that it may represent an ancestral GnRH system. Moreover, the gnrh1/gnrh3 enhancer of piranha induced reporter RFP/GFP co-expression in a single hypophysiotropic GnRH neuron in both zebrafish and medaka, whose GnRH neurons only express either gnrh3 or gnrh1. Thus, we propose that redundant expression of gnrh1/3 of relatively recent common ancestors may be the key to apparent switching of the paralog usage among present-day species.
More Related Videos
09:30Dual Somatic Recordings from Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone GnRH Neurons Identified by Green Fluorescent Protein GFP in Hypothalamic Slices
Published on: February 23, 2010
07:56Modified Yeast-Two-Hybrid System to Identify Proteins Interacting with the Growth Factor Progranulin
Published on: January 17, 2012
Related Concept Videos
Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins
Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
G Protein-coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical,...