title: Neuropeptide families: an evolutionary perspective.
abstract: Changes in the structure and function of five neuropeptide families during evolution are considered. The families of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH), somatostatin (SS), and vasopressin/oxytocin (VP/Oxy) are used as models to illustrate the importance of a phylogenetic approach in understanding neuropeptide structure/activity relationships, precursors, processing, gene duplication, novel locations and functions, and gene-associated peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D014667:Vasopressins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D010121:Oxytocin; D013004:Somatostatin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone