title: Phylogenetic aspects of nucleobindin-2/nesfatin-1.
abstract: Nesfatin-1 is an eighty two amino acid, naturally occurring multifunctional protein encoded in the precursor nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2). A comparison of sequences indicates that NUCB2 is present in a number of animals, from hydra to humans. The 30 amino acid mid-segment of nesfatin-1 is considered to be the bioactive core of the protein, and this region displays the highest identity among nesfatin-1 sequences reported thus far. Similar to the sequence relationships observed, the tissue-specific expression and biological actions of nesfatin-1 also appear to be highly conserved across species. For example, brain is a major tissue abundantly expressing nesfatin- 1 in several species. It has been shown that various key regions of the rat, mouse and goldfish brain, which are involved in the regulation of feeding and metabolism express nesfatin-1. Exogenous administration of nesfatin-1 results in a decrease in the food intake of rats, mice and goldfish. In addition, nesfatin-1 has been shown to regulate a number of other physiological processes including hormone secretion from the pancreatic islets and pituitary gland, stress and behavior. While nesfatin-1 research still remains an emerging area in physiology, the literature available thus far clearly shows that nesfatin-1 is an important regulator of homeostasis in animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Integrative Neuroendocrinology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4 Canada. suraj.unniappan@usask.ca.
authors.forename: Haneesha
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Suraj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unniappan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000630650:NUCB2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C000630651:Nucb1 protein, mouse; C000630652:Nucb1 protein, rat; D000080866:Nucleobindins