Summary
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1.
The molecular characteristics and physiological role of a partially purified small cardioactive neuropeptide (SCP) of the freshwater pulmonate snailLymnaea stagnalis were studied and compared with those of FMRFamide, an SCP discovered in clam ganglia.Lymnaea SCP, extracted from the central nervous system, and commercial FMRFamide co-elute on Sephadex G-15 columns, but SCP behaves differently from FMRF-amide, when chromatographed on the ion exchanger CM-Sephadex C-25. Moreover, it has a lowerR f value (0.60) on thin layer chromatograms than FMRFamide (0.75). SCP is sensitive to proteolytic enzymes. These data indicate thatLymnaea SCP is a small peptide which is not identical to FMRFamide.
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2.
Lymnaea SCP is involved in the physiological regulation of the activity of various muscles. It stimulates the frequency of beat as well as the amplitude of the auricle and ventricle. It also stimulates the peristalsis of the oesophagus and causes contractions of the penis retractor muscle. These excitatory effects are similar to those of FMRFamide, suggesting thatLymnaea SCP and FMRFamide must be closely related.
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3.
The role of SCP as a neurotransmitter is discussed.
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Abbreviations
- CNS :
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central nervous system
- FMRFamide :
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Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2
- SCP :
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small cardioactive peptide
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Geraerts, W.P.M., de With, N.D., Vreugdenhil, E. et al. Studies on the physiological role of a partially purified small cardioactive neuropeptide ofLymnaea stagnalis . J Comp Physiol B 154, 29–34 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00683213
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00683213