title: Isolation and characterization of four VIP-related peptides from red-bellied newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster.
abstract: Four novel bioactive peptides were isolated from the red-bellied newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster, using a bioassay system monitoring the rectum contraction of the Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica. As these peptides are structurally related to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), we termed these peptides newt VIP-related peptides 1, 2, 3, and 4 (NVRP-1, -2, -3, and -4). The primary sequences of these peptides were determined to be HSDAVFTDNYSRLLGKTALKNYLDGALKKE (NVRP-1), HSDAVFTDNYSRLLAKTALKNYLDGALKKE (NVRP-2), HSDAVFT-DNYSRLLGKIALKNYLDEALKKE (NVRP-3), and HSDAVFTDNYSRLLGKT-ALKNYLDSALKKE (NVRP-4). The N-terminal regions of these NVRPs possessed homology at the amino-acid level to various VIP, while the NVRP C-termini differed from VIPs significantly. All of the VIP consist of 28 amino-acid residues with amidated forms at the C-termini, whereas NVRPs possess 30 amino-acid residues and have free forms at the C-termini. NVRPs exert relaxant activities on isolated quail rectums in a dose-dependent manner, with threshold concentrations between 1 x 10(-8) and 3 x 10(-8) M. NVRPs also exhibited potent relaxant activities acting on the newt duodenum at 3 x 10(-8) M. As yet, this is the first isolation of biologically active VIP-related peptides from urodele.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka 839-0861, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teranishi
authors.forename: Yojiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Muneoka
authors.forename: Toshifumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: Yasutsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimonishi
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003370:Coturnix; D004386:Duodenum / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012007:Rectum / Q000187:drug effects; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide