title: Identification of new members of the (short) neuropeptide F family in locusts and Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Both the long and short neuropeptides F (NPF) represent important families of invertebrate neuropeptides that have been implicated in the regulation of reproduction and feeding behavior. In the present study, two short NPFs (SNRSPS(L/I)R(L/I)RFamide and SPS(L/I)R(L/I)RFamide) were de novo sequenced by mass spectrometry in two major pest insects, the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria and the African migratory locust Locusta migratoria. They are two of the most widespread peptides in the locust neuroendocrine system. A peptide that was previously reported to accelerate egg development in S. gregaria is shown to represent a truncated form of long NPF. This peptide is most likely derived by a novel processing mechanism involving cleavage at RY. In addition, an NPF peptide from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was isolated and sequenced by tandem mass spectrometry.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Functional Genomics and Proteomics, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Elke.Clynen@bio.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clynen
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Husson
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; C076101:neuropeptide F