Cloning and expression of pigeon growth hormone receptor cDNA in COS-7 monkey kidney cells

Pigeon growth hormone receptor (pGHR) cDNA has been cloned, sequenced, characterized and expressed in COS-7 cells. The predicted pGHR preprotein was composed of 611 amino acids and contained a putative signal peptide, a single transmembrane region and the conserved proline-rich box 1 domain in the cytoplasmic region. A canonical polyadenylation signal was found in the extracellular region, as was observed in chicken growth hormone receptor cDNA. Northern blot analysis identified a single species of pGHR mRNA and its expression was widely observed in tissues in the young male pigeon. A pGHR expression vector was constructed and transfected into COS-7 cells. The transfected cells were specifically bound by 125I-labeled chicken GH and the binding was suppressed by the addition of excess amounts of unlabeled chicken GH.