Complete sequence of the gene encoding a chorionic gonadotropin-like protein from Xanthomonas maltophilia

Our laboratory has previously reported that: (i) Xanthomonas maltophilia (Xm) produces a protein which has immunological resemblance to the beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and (ii) possesses a high-affinity receptor which binds holo hCG, and the endogenous ligand, Xm chorionic gonadotropin (xCG), but does not bind human luteinizing hormone (hLH). We have also previously published a 492-bp partial nucleotide sequence of the gene (xcg) coding for xCG. We report herein the entire xcg sequence of 1362 bp, which codes for a 48-kDa protein. This sequence confirmed the 492-bp sequence, as well as two partial amino acid (aa) sequences which we have previously reported. The sequence has a region which is homologous to aa 56-139 of the beta-subunit of hCG, and a second region homologous to the C-terminal tail of hCG. This is the first report of a prokaryotic gene homologous to the hCG beta-subunit-encoding gene.