Pike eel (<i>Muraenesox cinereus</i>) gonadotropin

Abstract

The amino acid sequences of pike eel gonadotropin alpha and beta subunits have been determined by standard sequencing analytical methods. The alpha subunit is composed of 93 amino acid residues while the beta subunit comprises 113 amino acid residues. All the invariant half-cystine residues are in the same positions as those found in other gonadotropins. It is noteworthy that the first, putative glycosylation site (Asn56) found in the alpha subunit of other gonadotropins was replaced by Asp56 in the alpha subunit of pike eel gonadotropin. Similarity analyses indicate that both subunits are structurally more similar to other known fish gonadotropin subunits than to those of the mammalian gonadotropins.