title: Gene expression and pharmacology of nematode NLP-12 neuropeptides.
abstract: This study examines the biology of NLP-12 neuropeptides in Caenorhabditis elegans, and in the parasitic nematodes Ascaris suum and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. DYRPLQFamide (1 nM-10 microM; n > or =6) produced contraction of innervated dorsal and ventral Ascaris body wall muscle preparations (10 microM, 6.8+/-1.9 g; 1 microM, 4.6+/-1.8 g; 0.1 microM, 4.1+/-2.0 g; 10 nM, 3.8+/-2.0 g; n > or =6), and also caused a qualitatively similar, but quantitatively lower contractile response (10 microM, 4.0+/-1.5 g, n=6) on denervated muscle strips. Ovijector muscle displayed no measurable response (10 microM, n=5). nlp-12 cDNAs were characterised from A. suum (As-nlp-12) and T. colubriformis (Tc-nlp-12), both of which show sequence similarity to C. elegans nlp-12, in that they encode multiple copies of -LQFamide peptides. In C. elegans, reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR analysis showed that nlp-12 was transcribed throughout the life cycle, suggesting that DYRPLQFamide plays a constitutive role in the nervous system of this nematode. Transcription was also identified in both L3 and adult stages of T. colubriformis, in which Tc-nlp-12 is expressed in a single tail neurone. Conversely, As-nlp-12 is expressed in both head and tail tissue of adult female A. suum, suggesting species-specific differences in the transcription pattern of this gene.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Research Group, School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK. paul.mcveigh@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McVeigh
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leech
authors.forename: Nikki J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: Aaron G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Maule
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017165:Ascaris suum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009348:Nematoda / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C519115:aspartyl-tyrosyl-arginyl-prolyl-leucyl-glutaminyl-phenylalaninamide