Abstract:

The cDNA sequence of Hepcidin (hepatic bactericidal protein), an antimicrobial peptide and iron regulatory molecule primarily expressed in liver, were cloned and analysed. A full-length cDNA sequence of Hepcidin from rainbow trout (GenBank accession number: HQ711993) was obtained by RT-PCR and RACE and then analysed by bioinformatics software. The results showed that the length of Hepcidin cDNA was 883 bp with a CDS ranging from 212th to 475th bp, which encoded a peptide of 88 amino acids. The preprotide contained a signal peptide (24 amino acids), a prodomain (39 amino acids) and a mature peptide (25 amino acids). The 25-residue Hepcidin mature peptide included 8conserved cyseine residues which were predicted to form 4 intramolecular disulfide bonds. The deduced amino acid sequence of Hepcidin from rainbow trout shared 93% identity with those from Salmo salar and 44%~88% identity with those from other fishes. Hepcidin cDNA from Oncorhynchus mykiss was a new member of the Hepcidin gene family.