title: Identification of a Drosophila prolyl endopeptidase and analysis of its expression.
abstract: Prolyl endopeptidases (PEPs) are believed to be involved in the metabolism of neuropeptide hormones (reviewed in Mentlein [1988]). Genes encoding PEPs have been isolated from various species, but their expression patterns during development have not been determined. In this study, we isolated a gene encoding a predicted PEP from the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. The gene encodes a predicted 756-amino acid protein having extensive sequence similarity to human PEP. We demonstrated that the Drosophila gene (DPEP) is expressed in a spatially restricted pattern in imaginal discs and the larval brain. Our results suggest a role for DPEP in the regional specification of larval tissues. They also provide a starting point for a genetic analysis of the function of this enzyme during development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6074, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007814:Larva / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C000705287:PREPL protein, human; D000085822:Prolyl Oligopeptidases