Cloning and sequence analysis of pituitary prolactin cDNA from the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus)

The nucleotide sequence for pituitary prolactin cDNA from the marsupial bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and 5′/3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high sequence identity with brushtail possum prolactin (95%) and all of the expected structural features of a quadruped prolactin. A prolactin gene tree was constructed and rates of evolution calculated for bandicoot, possum, opossum and several mammalian and non-mammalian prolactins. Bootstrap analysis provided strong support for marsupials as a sister group with eutherian mammals and weak support for opossum and bandicoot as an independent grouping from the brushtail possum. The rates of molecular evolution for marsupial prolactins were comparable to the slow rate seen in the majority of quadruped prolactins that have been sequenced.