title: The inhibitory effect of a neuropeptide, ManducaFLRFamide, on the midgut activity of the sphingid moth, Agrius convolvuli.
abstract: The effect of ManducaFLRFamide, a neuropeptide originally isolated from the central nervous system of a sphingid moth, Manduca sexta, was examined on the midgut motility of another sphingid moth, Agrius convolvuli. The peptide was shown to suppress the spontaneous contractions of the isolated gut in adult Agrius at low concentrations (> or = 10(-10) M). Immunoreactivity against anti-FMRFamide antiserum was also detected in the brain-suboesophageal ganglion and the retrocerebral neurohaemal organs of the moth. These observations suggest that ManducaFLRFamide, or its closely-related analog, is a neuropeptide which regulates the activity of the digestive tract in Agrius.
authors.affiliation: International Research Laboratories, Ciba-Geigy Japan Ltd., Takarazuka.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujita
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; C066148:phenylalanyl-leucyl-arginyl phenylalaninamide