A novel neuropeptide, Hym-176, induces contraction of the ectodermal muscle in Hydra.
During the course of a systematic non-targeting screening of peptide signal molecules in Hydra, we identified a novel myoactive neuropeptide called Hym-176. The primary structure of Hym-176 was determined to be APFIFPGPKVamide. It specifically and reversibly induced contraction of the ectodermal muscle of the hydra body column in vivo. However, it had no effect on the ectodermal muscle of the tentacles. The structure-activity relationship analysis showed that the sequence of FIFPGPKVamide is a minimal requirement for the myoactivity. Removal of an amide group from the C-terminus completely abolished the activity. By using the antibody specific to Hym-176, the tissue localization of the peptide in hydra was determined immunohistochemically. The intense immunoreactivity was found in the peduncle nerve cells, indicating that Hym-176 is a neuropeptide.
Department of Developmental Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan.
S
S
Yum
T
T
Takahashi
O
O
Koizumi
Y
Y
Ariura
Y
Y
Kobayakawa
S
S
Mohri
T
T
Fujisawa
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006829:Hydra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits
C114012:Hym-176 protein, Hydra; D009479:Neuropeptides