Pro-opiomelanocortin

Literature References: A precursor protein of mol wt ~30,000, synthesized in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, brain, and several peripheral tissues that incorporates the amino acid sequences of the pituitary hormones ACTH and b-lipotropin. These two hormones, in turn, contain biologically active component peptides: a-MSH, corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP), a-LPH, b-MSH, endorphins, and met-enkephalin. First description of the presence of ACTH and LPH in the same molecule: P. J. Lowry et al., Int. Congr. Ser. - Excerpta Med. 402, 71 (1976). Confirmation of the common precursor by radioimmunoassay: R. E. Mains et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 3014 (1977); J. L. Roberts, E. Herbert, ibid. 4826, 5300. Isoln of rat pro-opiomelanocortin: M. Rubenstein et al., ibid. 75, 669 (1978). Partial sequence analysis using cDNA from mouse: J. L. Roberts et al., ibid. 76, 2153 (1979). Complete sequence of bovine POMC using cloned cDNA: S. Nakanishi et al., Nature 278, 423 (1979). The precursor has also been found in human ACTH ectopic tumor: X. Bertagna et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75, 5160 (1978). Primary structure of the NH2-terminal glycopeptide of human pituitary POMC: N. G. Seidah et al., J. Biol. Chem. 256, 7977 (1981). Reviews: M. Chrétien, N. G. Seidah, Mol. Cell. Biochem. 34, 101-127 (1981); D. De Wied, J. Jolles, Physiol. Rev. 62, 976-1059 (1982); Y. P. Loh et al., Peptides 3, 397-404 (1982).