title: Characterization of the short neuropeptide F receptor from Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: A seven transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor has been cloned from Drosophila melanogaster. This receptor shows structural similarities to vertebrate Neuropeptide Y(2) receptors and is activated by endogenous Drosophila peptides, recently designated as short neuropeptide Fs (sNPFs). sNPFs have so far been found in neuroendocrine tissues of four other insect species and of the horseshoe crab. In locusts, they accelerate ovarian maturation, and in mosquitoes, they inhibit host-seeking behavior. Expression analysis by RT-PCR shows that the sNPF receptor (Drm-sNPF-R) is present in several tissues (brain, gut, Malpighian tubules and fat body) from Drosophila larvae as well as in ovaries of adult females. All 4 Drosophila sNPFs clearly elicited a calcium response in receptor expressing mammalian Chinese hamster ovary cells. The response is dose-dependent and appeared to be very specific. The short NPF receptor was not activated by any of the other tested arthropod peptides, not even by FMRFamide-related peptides (also ending in RFamide), indicating that the Arg residue at position 4 from the amidated C-terminus appears to be crucial for the response elicited by the sNPFs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Inge.Mertens@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meeusen
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Loof
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016466:CHO Cells; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007313:Insecta; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000737:chemistry*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C499701:NPFR protein, Drosophila; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide