P substance

For two substances (P.Q) each measured against a standard X, the values 5px. 6qx are known from apx, ttQx. 

The difference in 5 values for two substances (P,Q) measured against a standard substance is approximately equal to 1000 times the natural logarithm of their fractionation factor (app). 

Instead of the fractionation factor (apQ) for two substances (P,Q), a slightly different fractional abundance (/pq) may be defined ... 

The group of peptides known as tachykinins include substance P, substance K or neurokinin A, and neuromedin K, ie, neurokinin B, as well as a number of nonmammalian peptides. All members of this family contain the conserved carboxy-terrninal sequence Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2, where X is an aromatic, ie, Phe or Tyr, or branched aliphatic, eg, Val or lie, amino acid. In general, this C-terminal sequence is cmcial for tachykinin activity (33) in fact, both the methionineamide and the C-terminal amide are cmcial for activity. The nature of the X residue in this sequence determines pharmacological identity (34,35) thus the substance P group contains an aromatic residue in this position, while the substance K group contains an aliphatic residue (33). 

Biosynthesis. Two closely related genes encode the three mammalian tachykinins. The preprotachykinin A gene encodes both substance P and substance K, while the preprotachykinin B gene encodes neuromedin K (45—47). The active sequences are flanked by the usual double-basic amino acid residues, and the carboxy-terrninal amino acid is a glycine residue which is decarboxylated to an amide. As with most neuropeptide precursors, intermediates in peptide processing can be detected, but their biological activities are not clear (ca 1994). 

CGRP has a wide distribution in the nervous system (19) and was the first peptide to be localized to motoneurons (124). It is also found in primary sensory neurons where it is colocalized with substance P (125). CGRP is derived from a precursor stmcturaHy related to the calcitonin precursor. The latter precursor produces two products, calcitonin itself and katacalcin, while the CGRP precursor produces one copy of CGRP (123). Like other peptides, CGRP is cleaved from its precursor by tryptic breakdown between double basic amino acid residues. 

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