Annotation of novel neuropeptide precursors in the migratory locust based on transcript screening of a public EST database and mass spectrometry.
BACKGROUND
For holometabolous insects there has been an explosion of proteomic and peptidomic information thanks to large genome sequencing projects. Heterometabolous insects, although comprising many important species, have been far less studied. The migratory locust Locusta migratoria, a heterometabolous insect, is one of the most infamous agricultural pests. They undergo a well-known and profound phase transition from the relatively harmless solitary form to a ferocious gregarious form. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of this phase transition are not fully understood, but it is undoubtedly that neuropeptides are involved. However, neuropeptide research in locusts is hampered by the absence of genomic information.


RESULTS
Recently, EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) databases from Locusta migratoria were constructed. Using bioinformatical tools, we searched these EST databases specifically for neuropeptide precursors. Based on known locust neuropeptide sequences, we confirmed the sequence of several previously identified neuropeptide precursors (i.e. pacifastin-related peptides), which consolidated our method. In addition, we found two novel neuroparsin precursors and annotated the hitherto unknown tachykinin precursor. Besides one of the known tachykinin peptides, this EST contained an additional tachykinin-like sequence. Using neuropeptide precursors from Drosophila melanogaster as a query, we succeeded in annotating the Locusta neuropeptide F, allatostatin-C and ecdysis-triggering hormone precursor, which until now had not been identified in locusts or in any other heterometabolous insect. For the tachykinin precursor, the ecdysis-triggering hormone precursor and the allatostatin-C precursor, translation of the predicted neuropeptides in neural tissues was confirmed with mass spectrometric techniques.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study we describe the annotation of 6 novel neuropeptide precursors and the neuropeptides they encode from the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. By combining the manual annotation of neuropeptides with experimental evidence provided by mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that the genes are not only transcribed but also translated into precursor proteins. In addition, we show which neuropeptides are cleaved from these precursor proteins and how they are post-translationally modified.
Clynen
Elke
E
Laboratory of Developmental Physiology, Genomics and Proteomics, K. U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. clynen@bio.kuleuven.be
Huybrechts
Jurgen
J
Verleyen
Peter
P
De Loof
Arnold
A
Schoofs
Liliane
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D049750:Genome, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D048188:Locusta migratoria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D007301:Insect Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011506:Proteins; D015320:Tachykinins; C106709:pacifastin; C076523:allatostatin; C076101:neuropeptide F