title: Characterization of an allatotropin-like peptide receptor in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.
abstract: Following a reverse pharmacology approach, we identified an allatotropin-like peptide receptor in Tribolium castaneum. Allatotropins are multifunctional neuropeptides initially isolated from the tabacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. They have been shown to be myoactive, to be cardio-acceleratory, to inhibit active ion transport, to stimulate juvenile hormone production and release and to be involved in the photic entrainment of the circadian clock. A tissue distribution analysis of the T. castaneum allatotropin-like peptide receptor by means of qRT-PCR revealed a prominent sexual dimorphism, the transcript levels being significantly higher in the male fat body and reproductive system. The endogenous ligand of the receptor, Trica-ATL, is able to increase the frequency and tonus of contractions in the gut and in the reproductive tract of mature red flour beetles.
authors: Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Kristel
authors: K
authors: Vuerinckx
authors: Heleen
authors: H
authors: Verlinden
authors: Marleen
authors: M
authors: Lindemans
authors: Jozef Vanden
authors: JV
authors: Broeck
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Huybrechts
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D016466:CHO Cells; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000378:metabolism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein; D014231:Tribolium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; C050669:allatotropin