Phylogeny of Brain/Pituitary Hormones of Agnathans

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Lampreys of the class Agnatha are of particular importance in understanding endocrinological relationships since they represent the oldest lineages of extant vertebrates. This project aimed to investigate the endocrine mechanisms of reproduction, growth and adaptation of the sea lampreys.I.The tissues including brains, pituitaries, and livers were collected from 10,000 adult female sea lampreys (Petromizon marinus) in New Hampshire and Michigan and used for the following studies(1) Isolation of prolactin-releasing peptide front brain(2) Isolation of growth hormone and cloning of its cDNA.(3) Determination of exon-intron structure of proopiocortin and proopiomelanotropin genes(4) Cloning of insulin-like growth factor cDNA from the liver.(5) Search for gonadotropin and its cDNA from the pituitary glands.(6) Ontogenic study on hormone-producing cells in the pituitary glands.II.200 juveniles of Modecia mordax and Geotoria australis were collected in rivers in Tasmania Island of Australia.Genome libraries of these lampreys are under construction.III.Organized the International symposium on 'Agnathan and Chondrichthyes Reproduction and Adaptation' at the 4th International Symposium on Fish Endocrinology, held in Seattle on 1 and 2 August, 2000 to not only update the status of agnathan endocrinology but also to extend the information to the Chondrichthyes.