title: Different neuropeptides are expressed in different functional subsets of cholinergic excitatory motorneurons in the nematode Ascaris suum.
abstract: Neuropeptides are known to have dramatic effects on neurons and synapses; however, despite extensive studies of the motorneurons in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum, their peptide content had not yet been described. We determined the peptide content of single excitatory motorneurons by mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry. There are two subsets of ventral cord excitatory motorneurons, each with neuromuscular output either anterior or posterior to their cell body, mediating forward or backward locomotion, respectively. Strikingly, the two sets of neurons contain different neuropeptides, with AF9 and six novel peptides (As-NLP-21.1-6) in anterior projectors, and the six afp-1 peptides in addition to AF2 in posterior projectors. In situ hybridization confirmed the expression of these peptides, validating the integrity of the dissection technique. This work identifies new components of the functional behavioral circuit, as well as potential targets for antiparasitic drug development.
authors: †Department of Zoology, ‡Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Konop
authors: †Department of Zoology, ‡Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
authors: Jennifer J
authors: JJ
authors: Knickelbine
authors: †Department of Zoology, ‡Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
authors: Molly S
authors: MS
authors: Sygulla
authors: †Department of Zoology, ‡Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
authors: Martha M
authors: MM
authors: Vestling
authors: †Department of Zoology, ‡Parasitology and Vector Biology Training Program, §Department of Chemistry, ∥Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
authors: Antony O W
authors: AO
authors: Stretton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017165:Ascaris suum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D059329:Cholinergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides
keywords: Ascaris suum; MALDI-TOF MS; de novo sequencing; in situ hybridization; nematodes; neuropeptides