title: Comparison of Caenorhabditis elegans NLP peptides with arthropod neuropeptides.
abstract: Neuropeptides are small messenger molecules that can be found in all metazoans, where they govern a diverse array of physiological processes. Because neuropeptides seem to be conserved among pest species, selected peptides can be considered as attractive targets for drug discovery. Much can be learned from the model system Caenorhabditis elegans because of the availability of a sequenced genome and state-of-the-art postgenomic technologies that enable characterization of endogenous peptides derived from neuropeptide-like protein (NLP) precursors. Here, we provide an overview of the NLP peptide family in C. elegans and discuss their resemblance with arthropod neuropeptides and their relevance for anthelmintic discovery.
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. steven.husson@bio.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Husson
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindemans
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001181:Arthropods / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D055808:Drug Discovery; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D009479:Neuropeptides