title: New insights into the evolution of the GRF superfamily based on sequence similarity between the locust APRPs and human GRF.
abstract: In a manual sequence alignment experiment we accidentally observed that the locust adipokinetic hormone (AKH) precursor-related peptides (APRPs), which are peptides contained in the AKH-preprohormones, display sequence similarity with human growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF). So far, a counterpart for GRF, either structurally or functionally, has not yet been reported in any non-chordate. This could give new insights into the origin of the GRF superfamily, as it would mean that in some invertebrates (locusts), the structural homologues of glucagons (AKHs) and GRFs (APRPs) are located on the same precursor. No function could as yet be attributed to APRPs, although these neuropeptides occur abundantly in the corpora cardiaca, a neurohaemal organ from which many neuropeptides are released. Therefore, similar to GRF, a role as releasing factor may be envisaged for APRPs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Developmental Physiology, Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. elke.clynen@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clynen
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; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; C044833:adipokinetic hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid