title: Developmental and sex-specific differences in expression of neuropeptides derived from allatotropin gene in the silkmoth Bombyx mori.
abstract: Allatotropin (AT) and related neuropeptides are widespread bioactive molecules that regulate development, food intake and muscle contractions in insects and other invertebrates. In moths, alternative splicing of the at gene generates three mRNA precursors encoding AT with different combinations of three structurally similar AT-like peptides (ATLI-III). We used in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to map the differential expression of these transcripts during the postembryonic development of Bombyx mori. Transcript encoding AT alone was expressed in numerous neurons of the central nervous system and frontal ganglion, whereas transcripts encoding AT with ATLs were produced by smaller specific subgroups of neurons in larval stages. Metamorphosis was associated with considerable developmental changes and sex-specific differences in the expression of all transcripts. The most notable was the appearance of AT/ATL transcripts (1) in the brain lateral neurosecretory cells producing prothoracicotropic hormone; (2) in the male-specific cluster of about 20 neurons in the posterior region of the terminal abdominal ganglion; (3) in the female-specific medial neurons in the abdominal ganglia AG2-7. Immunohistochemical staining showed that these neurons produced a mixture of various neuropeptides and innervated diverse peripheral organs. Our data suggest that AT/ATL neuropeptides are involved in multiple stage- and sex-specific functions during the development of B. mori.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bednár
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Čižmár
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitrová
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia. dusan.zitnan@savba.sk.
authors.forename: Dušan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Žitňan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011679:Pupa / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C050669:allatotropin
keywords: Allatotropin; Bombyx mori; Nervous system; Neuropeptide; Splice variants