Drosophila FMRFamide neuropeptide gene

Molecular Genetics of the Drosophila FMRFamide Neuropeptide Gene... 

Hekimi, S. and O Shea, M. (1989) Antisera against AKHs and AKH precursors for experimental studies of an insect neurosecretoiy system. Insect Biochem 19,79-83 Schneider, L. E., Sun, E. T., Garland, D. J, andTaghert, P H (1993) An immunocyto-chemical study of the FMRFamide neuropeptide gene products m Drosophila. J. Comp Neurol. 337,446-460... 

We are studying insect neuropeptides with the intention of utilizing the advanced genetic and molecular techniques of Drosophila to address questions regarding neuropeptide gene function and regulation. We isolated a Drosophila gene that encodes a series of FMRFamide-like neuropeptides. 

Additional myotropic/inhibitory neuropeptide structures will be characterized on the basis of immunological similarity to vertebrate and invertebrate peptide structures, and also with the techniques of molecular biology. Two initial successes with those methods are discussed in this report (17,25). In addition, antibodies raised against FMRFamide were used to isolate and structurally characterize a nonapeptide containing C-terminal FMRFamide from head extracts of Drosophila (26). Subsequently, the gene that codes for this nonapeptide and eight other FMRFamide-related structures was isolated and sequenced (27,28). 

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