Primary structure of four allatostatins: neuropeptide inhibitors of juvenile hormone synthesis.
Four neuropeptides that inhibit juvenile hormone synthesis by the corpora allata have been isolated from brains of the virgin female cockroach Diploptera punctata. These allatostatins are 8-13 amino acids long, are amidated, and show sequence similarity, including a 3-amino acid sequence at the C-terminal end that is common to all four peptides. The peptide sequences are as follows: allatostatin 1, Ala-Pro-Ser-Gly-Ala-Gln-Arg-Leu-Tyr-Gly-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH2; allatostatin 2, Gly-Asp-Gly-Arg-Leu-Tyr-Ala-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH2; allatostatin 3, Gly-Gly-Ser-Leu-Tyr-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH2; and allatostatin 4, Asp-Arg-Leu-Tyr-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-NH2. An in vitro bioassay of the synthesized allatostatins showed greater than 40% inhibition of juvenile hormone synthesis by corpora allata of virgin females with 10(-9) M allatostatin 1, 10(-8) M allatostatins 2 and 4, and 7 X 10(-7) M allatostatin 3. Inhibition by allatostatins 1-4 was reversible. In addition, allatostatin 1 inhibited juvenile hormone synthesis by corpora allata from mated females and last-instar larvae of D. punctata and corpora allata of adult female Periplaneta americana.
Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
A P
AP
Woodhead
B
B
Stay
S L
SL
Seidel
M A
MA
Khan
S S
SS
Tobe
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007605:Juvenile Hormones / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D007605:Juvenile Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides