Differential Expression of Somatostatin Genes in Rainbow Trout

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

9723058 Sheridan Somatostatins are a relatively diverse family of peptide hormones known to affect a wide array of biological processes, including growth, development, and metabolism. Despite the significance of the group of hormones, little is known about their evolution or about the mechanisms which control the genes that encode them. With this project, the PI will use a simple model system, rainbow trout, to examine fundamental aspects of somatostatin gene expression. He will provide for the first time a definitive analysis of the polygenic origin of somatostatins. He will characterize the expression of alternate forms of somatostatins and investigate how somatostatin gene expression is controlled by various environmental and endogenous (i.e., other hormones such as insulin) factors. While this research pertains specifically to fish, it will provide important new insight into the evolution of the somatostatin gene family and yield novel information with board relevance to the understanding of somatostatin-mediated control of growth, development, and metabolism.