Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update

Gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs) play pivotal roles in reproductive functions via the hypothalamus, pituitary, and gonad axis, namely, HPG axis in vertebrates. GnRHs and their receptors (GnRHRs) are likely to be conserved in invertebrate deuterostomes and lophotrochozoans. All vertebrate and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tsubasa Sakai, Akira Shiraishi, Tsuyoshi Kawada, Shin Matsubara, Masato Aoyama, Honoo Satake
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fendo.2017.00217/full
_version_ 1819266530437758976
author Tsubasa Sakai
Akira Shiraishi
Tsuyoshi Kawada
Shin Matsubara
Masato Aoyama
Honoo Satake
author_facet Tsubasa Sakai
Akira Shiraishi
Tsuyoshi Kawada
Shin Matsubara
Masato Aoyama
Honoo Satake
author_sort Tsubasa Sakai
collection DOAJ
description Gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs) play pivotal roles in reproductive functions via the hypothalamus, pituitary, and gonad axis, namely, HPG axis in vertebrates. GnRHs and their receptors (GnRHRs) are likely to be conserved in invertebrate deuterostomes and lophotrochozoans. All vertebrate and urochordate GnRHs are composed of 10 amino acids, whereas protostome, echinoderm, and amphioxus GnRH-like peptides are 11- or 12-residue peptide containing two amino acids after an N-terminal pyro-Glu. In urochordates, Halocynthia roretzi GnRH gene encodes two GnRH peptide sequences, whereas two GnRH genes encode three different GnRH peptides in Ciona intestinalis. These findings indicate the species-specific diversification of GnRHs. Intriguingly, the major signaling pathway for GnRHRs is intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in chordates, echinoderms, and protostomes, whereas Ciona GnRHRs (Ci-GnRHRs) are endowed with multiple GnRHergic cAMP production pathways in a ligand-selective manner. Moreover, the ligand-specific modulation of signal transduction via heterodimerization among Ci-GnRHR paralogs suggests the species-specific development of fine-tuning of gonadal functions in ascidians. Echinoderm GnRH-like peptides show high sequence differences compared to those of protostome counterparts, leading to the difficulty in classification of peptides and receptors. These findings also show both the diversity and conservation of GnRH signaling systems in invertebrates. The lack of the HPG axis in invertebrates indicates that biological functions of GnRHs are not release of gonadotropins in current invertebrates and common ancestors of vertebrates and invertebrates. To date, authentic or putative GnRHRs have been characterized from various echinoderms and protostomes as well as chordates and the mRNAs have been found to be distributed not only reproductive organs but also other tissues. Collectively, these findings further support the notion that invertebrate GnRHs have biological roles other than the regulation of reproductive functions. Moreover, recent molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests that adipokinetic hormone (AKH), corazonin (CRZ), and AKH/CRZ-related peptide (ACP) belong to the GnRH superfamily but has led to the different classifications of these peptides and receptors using different datasets including the number of sequences and structural domains. In this review, we provide current knowledge of, and perspectives in, molecular basis and evolutionary aspects of the GnRH, AKH, CRZ, and ACP.
first_indexed 2024-12-23T21:02:44Z
format Article
id doaj.art-395944b878cb43c3810da225e2e5896f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-2392
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-23T21:02:44Z
publishDate 2017-09-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Endocrinology
spelling doaj.art-395944b878cb43c3810da225e2e5896f2022-12-21T17:31:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922017-09-01810.3389/fendo.2017.00217289129Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An UpdateTsubasa Sakai0Akira Shiraishi1Tsuyoshi Kawada2Shin Matsubara3Masato Aoyama4Honoo Satake5Bioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, JapanBioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, JapanBioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, JapanBioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, JapanFaculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Nara Women’s University, Nara, JapanBioorganic Research Institute, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Kyoto, JapanGonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs) play pivotal roles in reproductive functions via the hypothalamus, pituitary, and gonad axis, namely, HPG axis in vertebrates. GnRHs and their receptors (GnRHRs) are likely to be conserved in invertebrate deuterostomes and lophotrochozoans. All vertebrate and urochordate GnRHs are composed of 10 amino acids, whereas protostome, echinoderm, and amphioxus GnRH-like peptides are 11- or 12-residue peptide containing two amino acids after an N-terminal pyro-Glu. In urochordates, Halocynthia roretzi GnRH gene encodes two GnRH peptide sequences, whereas two GnRH genes encode three different GnRH peptides in Ciona intestinalis. These findings indicate the species-specific diversification of GnRHs. Intriguingly, the major signaling pathway for GnRHRs is intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in chordates, echinoderms, and protostomes, whereas Ciona GnRHRs (Ci-GnRHRs) are endowed with multiple GnRHergic cAMP production pathways in a ligand-selective manner. Moreover, the ligand-specific modulation of signal transduction via heterodimerization among Ci-GnRHR paralogs suggests the species-specific development of fine-tuning of gonadal functions in ascidians. Echinoderm GnRH-like peptides show high sequence differences compared to those of protostome counterparts, leading to the difficulty in classification of peptides and receptors. These findings also show both the diversity and conservation of GnRH signaling systems in invertebrates. The lack of the HPG axis in invertebrates indicates that biological functions of GnRHs are not release of gonadotropins in current invertebrates and common ancestors of vertebrates and invertebrates. To date, authentic or putative GnRHRs have been characterized from various echinoderms and protostomes as well as chordates and the mRNAs have been found to be distributed not only reproductive organs but also other tissues. Collectively, these findings further support the notion that invertebrate GnRHs have biological roles other than the regulation of reproductive functions. Moreover, recent molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests that adipokinetic hormone (AKH), corazonin (CRZ), and AKH/CRZ-related peptide (ACP) belong to the GnRH superfamily but has led to the different classifications of these peptides and receptors using different datasets including the number of sequences and structural domains. In this review, we provide current knowledge of, and perspectives in, molecular basis and evolutionary aspects of the GnRH, AKH, CRZ, and ACP.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fendo.2017.00217/fullgonadotropin-releasing hormoneadipokinetic hormonecorazoinreceptorinvertebrate
spellingShingle Tsubasa Sakai
Akira Shiraishi
Tsuyoshi Kawada
Shin Matsubara
Masato Aoyama
Honoo Satake
Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
Frontiers in Endocrinology
gonadotropin-releasing hormone
adipokinetic hormone
corazoin
receptor
invertebrate
title Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
title_full Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
title_fullStr Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
title_full_unstemmed Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
title_short Invertebrate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Related Peptides and Their Receptors: An Update
title_sort invertebrate gonadotropin releasing hormone related peptides and their receptors an update
topic gonadotropin-releasing hormone
adipokinetic hormone
corazoin
receptor
invertebrate
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fendo.2017.00217/full
work_keys_str_mv AT tsubasasakai invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate
AT akirashiraishi invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate
AT tsuyoshikawada invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate
AT shinmatsubara invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate
AT masatoaoyama invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate
AT honoosatake invertebrategonadotropinreleasinghormonerelatedpeptidesandtheirreceptorsanupdate