title: A neuropeptide precursor expressed in Aplysia neuron L5.
abstract: Aplysia abdominal ganglion neuron L5 is immunoreactive with an antiserum generated against the tetrapeptide Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide (FMRFamide); however, the specificity of this immune reagent is limited to the sequence Arg-Phe-amide. We isolated cDNA clones homologous to mRNAs specifically expressed in L5 and demonstrated that these clones do not hybridize to a previously characterized gene encoding FMRFamide. The nucleotide sequence of one of these clones, L5-67, does not encode any FMRFamide peptides but does reveal a Gly-Lys-Arg cleavage site following the amino acids Arg-Phe. This data predicts that neuron L5 expresses a peptide ending in Arg-Phe-amide, consistent with the FMRFamide immunoreactivity.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D019835:FMRFamide; D005724:Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019835:FMRFamide; D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes