The nucleotide sequences of parathyroid gene in new world and old world monkeys

Abstract

The aims of this study are 1) to determine the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of parathyroid gene in primates, new world and old world monkeys, and 2) to construct the phylogenetic tree of those primates based on the determined sequences. The nucleotide sequences of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene in 8 species of primates; Cebus apella, Callithrix jacchus, Macaca fascicularis, Papio hamadryas, Presbytes obscura, Hylobates lar, Gorilla gorilla, and Pan paniscus, were analyzed. The sequences of 500-553 bp were determined by direct sequencing method. The nucleotide sequences were deduced to amino acid sequences by DNASIS program. Thus, the phylogeny was estimated from those nucleotide and amino acid sequences using a Neighbor-Joining method (PHYLIP program) and Parsimony method (PAUP program). The PTH gene contained one intron which separated two exons that coded the sequences of prepro and PTH, respectively. The intron in C. apella and C. jacchus was 102 bp long, whereas it contained 103 bp in the other 6 species of primates. The prepro-PTH consisted of 25 amino acids of the "pre" sequence, 6 amino acids of the "pro" sequence, and 84 amino acids of the "PTH". Comparison of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of PTH gene between human and 8 species of primates showed strong homology of 95.38-99.80% and 93.04-100.00%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences revealed that these 8 species of primates were divided into 2 groups; 1) New world monkeys or infraorder platyrrhini consisted of C. apella and C. jacchus, and 2) Old world monkeys or infraorder catarrhini which could be subdivided into 2 groups of 2.1) Old world monkeys or superfamily cercopithecoidea consisted of M. fascicularis, P. hamadryas, P. obscura, and 2.2) Apes and man or superfamily hominoidea consisted of H. lar, G. gorilla and P. paniscus. From this study, it may conclude that PTH gene is conserved among primates