title: A unique charged tyrosine-containing member of the adipokinetic hormone/red-pigment-concentrating hormone peptide family isolated and sequenced from two beetle species.
abstract: An identical neuropeptide was isolated from the corpora cardiaca of two beetle species, Melolontha melolontha and Geotrupes stercorosus. Its primary structure was determined by pulsed-liquid-phase sequencing employing Edman chemistry after enzymically deblocking the N-terminal pyroglutamate residue. The C-terminus was also blocked, as indicated by the lack of digestion when the peptide was incubated with carboxypeptidase A. The sequence of this peptide, which is designated Mem-CC, is pGlu-Leu-Asn-Tyr-Ser-Pro-Asp-Trp-NH2. It is a new member of the adipokinetic hormone/red-pigment-concentrating hormone (AKH/RPCH) family of peptides with two unusual structural features: it is charged and contains a tyrosine residue at position 4, where all other family members have a phenylalanine residue. Structure-activity studies in the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) and the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) revealed that the peptide was poorly active, owing to its structural uniqueness.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gäde
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000032:analysis*; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000737:chemistry; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000737:chemistry*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007301:Insect Hormones; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; C069011:adipokinetic hormone, beetle; C022059:red pigment-concentrating hormone; D014443:Tyrosine; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid