title: Structure and expression of bombyxin-related peptide genes of the moth Samia cynthia ricini.
abstract: From the genomic DNA of the moth Samia cynthia ricini, we cloned and characterized six clustered genes that encode precursor molecules for peptides structurally related to bombyxin, a Bombyx mori brain secretory peptide that is structurally like insulin and functionally like the prothoracicotropic hormone. The precursor molecules deduced from these genes have the domain organization of signal peptide/B-chain/C-peptide/A-chain, as in preprobombyxins and preproinsulins. The Samia bombyxin-related peptide (SBRP) genes are classified into families A and B according to their sequence homology. Two genes belonging to different families are arranged close to each other to form a pair with opposite transcriptional orientations (A-1/B-1, A-2/B-2, and A-3/B-3). None of these genes have introns, and gene B-3 has an in-frame stop codon representing a pseudogene. Four genes, A-1, A-3, B-1, and B-2, are expressed in Samia brain. Genomic Southern hybridization suggests that the Samia genome contains many other SBRP genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, School of Science, Nagoya University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura-Kawakami
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishizaki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000235:genetics*; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007301:Insect Hormones; D011498:Protein Precursors; C009089:prothoracicotropic hormone; D004247:DNA