Int. J. Dev. Biol. 40: 537 - 543 (1996)

Vol 40, Issue 3

Cloning and expression of a thyroid hormone receptor alpha 1 in the perennibranchiate amphibian Proteus anguinus

Published: 1 June 1996

T D Ho Huynh, C L Gallien, J P Durand and C Chanoine

Laboratorie de Biologie du Développement, URA 1188 CNRS, Université René Descartes, Paris, France.

Abstract

We demonstrated the presence of thyroid hormone receptor alpha mRNAs in tissues of the perennibranchiate amphibian Proteus anguinus, which is insensitive to thyroid hormone. From P. anguinus muscle we cloned and sequenced the 3' coding and untranslated region of a cDNA corresponding to a thyroid hormone receptor alpha 1. Using cDNA-PCR and in situ hybridization, we showed a tissue-specific expression of thyroid hormone receptor alpha genes, which was not upregulated by thyroid hormone as opposed to that observed in the TH-sensitive species, Xenopus laevis.