Functional aspects of cHH C-terminal amidation in crayfish species.
The crustacean hyperglycemic hormone is the most abundant neuropeptide present in the eyestalk of Crustacea and its main role is to control the glucose level in the hemolymph. Our study was aimed at assessing the importance of C-terminal amidation for its biological activity. Two recombinant peptides were produced, Asl-rcHH-Gly with a free carboxyl terminus and Asl-rcHH-amide with an amidated C-terminus. Homologous bioassays performed on the astacid crayfish Astacus leptodactylus showed that the amidated peptide had a stronger hyperglycemic effect compared to the non-amidated peptide. To assess the relevance of amidation also in other decapods and how much the differences in the cHH amino acid sequence can affect the functionality of the peptides, we carried out heterologous bioassays on the cambarid Procambarus clarkii and palaemonid Palaemon elegans. The Asl-rcHH-amide elicited a good response in P. clarkii and in P. elegans. The injection of Asl-rcHH-Gly evoked a weak response in both species. These results prove the importance of C-terminal amidation for the biological activity of cHH in crayfish as well as the role of the peptide primary sequence for the species-specificity hormone-receptor recognition.
Mosco
Alessandro
A
BRAIN Center, Department of Biology, University of Trieste, Via Giorgeri 7, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
Edomi
Paolo
P
Guarnaccia
Corrado
C
Lorenzon
Simonetta
S
Pongor
Sándor
S
Ferrero
Enrico A
EA
Giulianini
Piero G
PG
D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D017510:Protein Folding; D013045:Species Specificity
D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C015947:hyperglycemic hormone, crustacean