Nucleotide sequence of the mRNA encoding the pre-alpha-subunit of mouse thyrotropin

We have constructed and cloned in bacteria recombinant DNA molecules containing DNA sequences coding for the precursor of the alpha subunit of thyrotropin (pre-TSH-alpha). Double-stranded DNA complementary to total poly(A)+RNA derived from a mouse pituitary thyrotropic tumor was prepared enzymatically, inserted into the Pst I site of the plasmid pBR322 by using poly(dC).poly(dG) homopolymeric extensions, and cloned in Escherichia coli chi 1776. Cloned cDNAs encoding pre-TSH-alpha were identified by their hybridization to pre-TSH-alpha mRNA as determined by cell-free translations of hybrid-selected and hybrid-arrested RNA. The nucleotide sequences of two cDNAs (510 and 480 base pairs) were determined with chemical methods and corresponded to much of the region coding for the alpha subunit and the 3' untranslated region of pre-TSH-alpha mRNA. The sequence of the 5' end of the mRNA was determined from cDNA synthesized by using total mRNA as template and a restriction enzyme DNA fragment as primer. Together these sequences represented greater than 90% of the coding and noncoding regions of full-length pre-TSH-alpha mRNA, which was determined to be 800 bases long. The amino acid sequence of the pre-TSH-alpha deduced from the nucleotide sequence showed a NH2-terminal leader sequence of 24 amino acids followed by the 96-amino-acid sequence of the apoprotein of TSH-alpha. There is greater than 90% homology in the amino acid sequences among the murine, ruminant, and porcine alpha subunits and 75-80% homology among the murine, equine, and human alpha subunits. Several regions of the sequence remain absolutely conserved among all species, suggesting that these particular regions are essential for the biological function of the subunit. The successful cloning of the alpha subunit of TSH will permit further studies of the organization of the genes coding for the glycoprotein hormone subunits and the regulation of their expression.