title: Characterization of a novel vasopressin/oxytocin superfamily peptide and its receptor from an ascidian, Ciona intestinalis.
abstract: The vasopressin (VP)/oxytocin (OT) superfamily peptides are one of the most widely distributed neuropeptides and/or neurohypophysial hormones, but have ever not been characterized from any deuterostome invertebrates including protochordates, ascidians. In the present study, we show the identification of a novel VP/OT superfamily peptide and its receptor in the ascidian, Ciona intestinalis. Intriguingly, the Ciona VP/OT-related peptide (Ci-VP), unlike other 9-amino acid and C-terminally amidated VP/OT superfamily peptides, consists of 13 amino acids and lacks a C-terminal amidation. Mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of the 13-residue Ci-VP in the neural complex. Furthermore, 10 of 14 cysteines are conserved in the neurophysin domain, compared with other VP/OT counterparts. These results revealed that the VP/OT superfamily is conserved in ascidians, but the Ci-VP gene encodes an unprecedented VP/OT-related peptide and neurophysin protein. Ci-VP was also shown to activate its endogenous receptor, Ci-VP-R, at physiological concentrations, confirming the functionality of Ci-VP as an endogenous ligand. The Ci-VP gene was expressed exclusively in neurons of the brain, whereas the Ci-TK-R mRNA was distributed in various tissues including the neural complex, alimentary tract, gonad, and heart. These expression profiles suggest that Ci-VP, like other VP/OT superfamily peptides, serves as a multifunctional neuropeptides. Altogether, our data revealed both evolutionary conservation and specific divergence of the VP/OT superfamily in protochordates. This is the first molecular characterization of a VP/OT superfamily peptide and its cognate receptor from not only ascidians but also deuterostome invertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research, Wakayamadai 1-1-1, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka 618-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Honoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Satake
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin