SIFamide is a highly conserved neuropeptide : a comparative study in different insect species

Verleyen, P.; Huybrechts, J.; Baggerman, G.; Van Lommel, A.; De Loof, A.; Schoofs, L.

doi:10.1016/J.BBRC.2004.05.173

Title

SIFamide is a highly conserved neuropeptide : a comparative study in different insect species

Author

Verleyen, P.

Huybrechts, J.

Baggerman, G.

Van Lommel, A.

De Loof, A.

Schoofs, L.

Abstract

Neb-LFamide or AYRKPPFNGSLFamide was originally purified from the grey flesh fly Neobellieria bullata as a myotropic neuropeptide. We studied the occurrence of this peptide and its isoforms in the central nervous system of different insect species by means of whole mount fluorescence immunohistochemistry, mass spectrometry, and data mining. We found that both sequence and immunoreactive distribution pattern are very conserved in the studied insects. In all species and stages we counted two pairs of immunoreactive cells in the pars intercerebralis. These cells projected axons throughout the ventral nerve cord. In the adult CNSs they formed a large number of immunoreactive varicosities as well. Mass spectrometry and data mining revealed that SIFamide exists in two isoforms: [G(1)]-SIFamide and [A(1)]-SIFamide. In addition, the SIFamide joining peptide is relatively well conserved throughout arthropod species. The conserved presence of two cysteine residues, separated by six amino acid residues, allows the formation of disulphide bridges. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language

English

Source (journal)

Biochemical and biophysical research communications. - New York, N.Y.

Publication

New York, N.Y. : 2004

ISSN

0006-291X

DOI

10.1016/J.BBRC.2004.05.173

Volume/pages

320 :2 (2004) , p. 334-341