title: Relationship between the expression of Rab family GTPases and neuropeptide hormones in the brain of Bombyx mori.
abstract: Rab proteins are small GTPases that play essential roles in vesicle transport. In this study, we examined the expression of Rab proteins and neuropeptide hormones in the brain of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. We produced antibodies against B. mori Rab1 and Rab14 in rabbits. Immunoblotting of samples of brain tissue from B. mori revealed a single band for each antibody. Rab1 and Rab14 immunohistochemical labeling in the brain of B. mori was restricted to neurons of the pars intercerebralis and dorsolateral protocerebrum. Rab1, Rab7 and Rab14 co-localized with bombyxin. Rab1 and Rab7 co-localized with eclosion hormone. Rab1 co-localized with prothoracicotropic hormone. These results suggest that Rab1, Rab7 and Rab14 may be involved in neuropeptide transport in the brain of B. mori. This is the first report on the specificity of Rab proteins for the secretion of different neuropeptides in insects.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Biofunctional Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. unotom@kobe-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomohide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Isoyama
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hiragaki
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanamaru
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: Makio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; C009089:prothoracicotropic hormone; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins