FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs): A new family of peptides from amphibian defensive skin secretions.
Amphibian defensive skin secretions are known to contain a plethora of biologically-active peptides that are often structural and functional analogues of vertebrate neuropeptides. Here we report the structures of two invertebrate neuropeptide analogues, IPPQFMRF amide (IF-8 amide) and EGDEDEFLRF amide (EF-10 amide), from the defensive skin secretions of two different species of African hyperoliid frogs, Kassina maculata and Phylictimantis verrucosus, respectively. These represent the first canonical FMRF amide-related peptides (FaRPs) from a vertebrate source. The cDNA encoding IF-8 amide was cloned from a skin secretion library and found to contain a single copy of the peptide located at the C-terminus of a 58 amino acid residue open-reading frame. These data extend the potential targets of the defensive arsenal of amphibian tegumental secretions to parasitic/predatory invertebrates and the novel peptides described may represent the first vertebrate peptidic endectocides.
Queen's University, Medical Biology Center, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
Lei
L
Wang
Anita
A
Smyth
Anders H
AH
Johnsen
Mei
M
Zhou
Tianbao
T
Chen
Brian
B
Walker
Chris
C
Shaw
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D019835:FMRFamide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D019835:FMRFamide