Cloning and expression of newt prolactin receptor

Newt (Cynops ensicauda) prolactin receptor (PRL-R) cDNA was isolated from an abdominal gland cDNA Library. The nucleotide sequence of a 2.5-kbp clone included a 1878-bp open reading frame encoding 626 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence contained a single transmembrane domain, two pairs of cysteine residues, a Trp-Ser-Xaa-Trp-Ser motif in the extracellular domain and a proline-rich region in the cytoplasmic domain characteristic of the prolactin/growth hormone/cytokine receptor superfamily. The amino acid sequence identities were 46-51% with mammalian and avian PRL-Rs and 37% with a teleost (tilapia) PRL-R The cytoplasmic domain of the newt PRL-R was similar to the long form of PRL-Rs reported in other animals. Newt PRL-R transcripts were detected, using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in various C. ensicauda tissues. This is the first report of cloning of amphibian PRL-R cDNA.