title: Structural studies of Drosophila short neuropeptide F: Occurrence and receptor binding activity.
abstract: Among insects, short neuropeptide Fs (sNPF) have been implicated in regulation of reproduction and feeding behavior. For Drosophila melanogaster, the nucleotide sequence for the sNPF precursor protein encodes four distinctive candidate sNPFs. In the present study, all four peptides were identified by mass spectrometry in body extracts of D. melanogaster; some also were identified in hemolymph, suggesting potential neuroendocrine roles. Actions of sNPFs in D. melanogaster are mediated by the G protein-coupled receptor Drm-NPFR76F. Mammalian CHO-K1 cells were stably transfected with the Drm-NPFR76F receptor for membrane-based radioreceptor studies. Binding assays revealed that longer sNPF peptides comprised of nine or more amino acids were clearly more potent than shorter ones of eight or fewer amino acids. These findings extend understanding of the relationship between structure and function of sNPFs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Garczynski
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Joe W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Crim
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D016466:CHO Cells; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000737:chemistry; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000737:chemistry; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled