Elucidation of the sequence of canine (pro)-calcitonin. A molecular biological and protein chemical approach.

From the canine thyroid gland a calcitonin (CT) immunoreactive peptide was purified by successive aqueous acid acetone extraction, gel filtration and HPLC. Gas-phase sequencing of the purified peptide showed that the first 25 amino acids had 65% sequence homology with the amino-terminus of the human CT prohormone. A canine cDNA library was then made from the thyroid gland. A plasmid was isolated containing a sequence that is homologous to part of exon 3, and the complete sequence of exon 4 of the human mRNA encoding preproCT. From this cDNA the amino acid sequence of canine CT is predicted. In comparison with well-known CT sequences of other species, the strongest homology exists with bovine, porcine and ovine CT.