Achatin-I, an excitatory neurotransmitter having a D-phenylalanine residue of Achatina giant neurones.
The neuroexcitatory peptide isolated from Achatina ganglia was identical to the synthetic Gly-D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp with respect to either the bioassay experiments using the Achatina neurones or the instrumental analysis (1H-NMR, SIMS, CD and HPLC). We termed it achatin-I (yield: 50 micrograms from 30,000 animals). Its stereoisomer, Gly-L-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp, termed achatin-II, was also isolated from the ganglia (yield: 17 micrograms), but this was ineffective on the Achatina neurones. Of the eight possible stereoisomers, only achatin-I markedly showed excitatory effects on the two Achatina neurones, PON and TAN, and [D-Ala3] achatin-I (Gly-D-Phe-D-Ala-L-Asp) had the slight effects. Among the fourteen neurones tested, seven, including the two mentioned above, were excited by achatin-I, whereas no neurone was inhibited. Achatin-I produced an inward current (Iin) with an increase in the membrane conductance (g) under voltage clamp. ED50 of achatin-I for exciting the neurones were 0.20-1.47 x 10(-5) M, and its Emax were 6.33-5.02 nA. Of the achatin-I analogues examined, only the three, Gly-Gly-D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp, D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp and Gly-D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asn, produced Iin, but much smaller than that of achatin-I. The equiactive molar ratios (EMRs) of the four effective related peptides (three analogues and a stereoisomer) vs. achatin-I were: 8-60 for Gly-Gly-D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp, 200 - > 250 for D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asp and > 200 for Gly-D-Phe-L-Ala-L-Asn and Gly-D-Phe-D-Ala-L-Asp. The Iin induced by achatin-I was blocked under the /Na+/0-free state, but unaffected under the [Ca2+]-free (replaced with Co2+), [Cl-]0-free or [K+]-enriched (3.0 x) medium, indicating that the Iin is produced by the gNa increase of neuromembrane. We propose that achatin-I having a D-phenylalanine residue is an excitatory neurotransmitter of the Achatina neurones.
Department of Physiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
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H
Takeuchi
K H
KH
Kim
G J
GJ
Liu
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Yasuda-Kamatani
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H
Minakata
K
K
Nomoto
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012908:Snails / Q000502:physiology*
D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; C059927:achatin I