Open AccessA novel G protein-coupled receptor for starfish gonadotropic hormone, relaxin-like gonad-stimulating peptide
Author(s) -
Masatoshi Mita,
Shin Matsubara,
Tomohiro Osugi,
Akira Shiraishi,
Azumi Wada,
Honoo Satake
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0242877
Subject(s) - biology , relaxin , receptor , starfish , follicle stimulating hormone receptor , follicle stimulating hormone , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , hormone , luteinizing hormone , ecology
Gonadotropic hormones play important regulatory roles in reproduction. Relaxin-like gonad-stimulating peptide (RGP) is a gonadotropin-like hormone in starfish. However, a receptor for RGP remains to be identified. Here, we describe the identification of an authentic receptor for RGP (RGPR) in the starfish, Patiria pectinifera . A binding assay using radioiodinated P . pectinifera RGP (PpeRGP) revealed that RGPR was expressed in ovarian follicle cells. A RGPR candidate was identified by homology-searching of transcriptome data of P . pectinifera follicle cells. Based on the contig sequences, a putative 947-amino acid PpeRGPR was cloned from follicle cells. Like the vertebrate relaxin family peptide receptors (RXFP 1 and 2), PpeRGPR was a G protein-coupled receptor that harbored a low-density lipoprotein-receptor class A motif and leucine-rich repeat sequences in the extracellular domain of the N-terminal region. Sf9 cells transfected with Gαq 16 -fused PpeRGPR activated calcium ion mobilization in response to PpeRGP, but not to RGP of another starfish Asterias amurensis , in a dose-dependent fashion. These results confirmed the species-specific reactivity of RGP and the cognate receptor. Thus, the present study provides evidence that PpeRGPR is a specific receptor for PpeRGP. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of a receptor for echinoderm RGP.