Abstract
DPKQDFMRFamide is one of five different FMRFamide-containing peptides encoded in theDrosophila FMRFamide gene. To study the cellular expression of DPKQDFMRFamide, we have generated antisera to DPKQD, the N-terminal sequence of the peptide, to avoid crossreactivity with other-FMRFamide-containing peptides. The antisera were purified and the specificity characterized.
DPKQDFMRFamide immunoreactive material is first observed in the embryonic central nervous system (CNS) in one cell of the subesophageal ganglion and one cell in each of the three thoracic ganglia. This pattern of expression is observed in larval, pupal, and adult neural tissue, albeit with increased signal intensity. In larva, pupa, and adult, additional cells in the superior protocerebrum, a thoracic ganglion, and an abdominal ganglion express DPKQDFMRFamide immunoreactive material. Immunoreactivity is observed in a cell in the lateral protocerebrum of pupa and adult and cells in the optic lobe of adult. No immunoreactive material was observed in gut tissue.
DPKQDFMRFamide antisera stain a subset of cells previously identified byin situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry to express the FMRFamide transcript and polypeptide precursor. These data suggest that theDrosophila FMRFamide polypeptide precursor undergoes differential processing to produce DPKQDFMRFamide immunoreactive material in a limited number of cells expressing the FMRFamide precursor.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Belkin K. J. and Abrams T. W. (1993) FMRFamide produces biphasic modulation of the LFS motor neurons in the neural circuit of the siphon withdrawal reflex ofAplysia by activating Na+ and K+ currents.J. Neurosci. 13, 5139–5152.
Buckett K. J., Peters M., Dockray G. J., VanMinnen J., and Benjamin P. R. (1990) Regulation of heartbeat inLymnaea by motoneurons containing FMRFamide-like peptides.J. Neurophysiol. 63, 1426–1435.
Chin A. C., Reynolds E. R., and Scheller R. H. (1990) Organization and expression of theDrosophila FMRFamide-related prohormone gene.DNA Cell Biol. 9, 263–271.
Duve H., Elia A. J., Orchard I., Johnsen A. H., and Thorpe A. (1993) The effects of CalliFMRFamides and other FMRFamide-related neuropeptides on the activity of the heart of the blowflyCalliphora vomitoria.J. Insect Physiol. 39, 31–40.
Franks C. J., Holden-Dye L., Williams R. G., Pang F. Y., and Walker R. J. (1994) A nematode FMRFamide-like peptide, SDPNDLRFamide (PF1), relaxes the dorsal muscle strip preparation ofAscaris suum.Parasitology 108, 229–236.
Krieger D. (1983) Brain peptides: what, where, and why?Science 222, 975–985.
Loh Y. P., Brownstein M. J., and Gainer H. G. (1984) Proteolysis in neuropeptide processing and other neural functions, inAnnual Reviews in Neuroscience, vol. 7 (Cowan W. M., Shooter E. M., Stevens C. F., and Thompson R. F., eds.), Annual Reviews, Palo Alto, CA, pp 189–222.
Lundquist C. T., and Nässel D. R. (1990) Substance P-, FMRFamide-, and gastrin/cholecystokinin-like immunoreactive neurons in the thoracoabdominal ganglia of the fliesDrosophila andCalliphora.J. Comp. Neurol. 294, 161–178.
McCormick J. and Nichols R. (1993) Spatial and temporal expression identify dromyosuppressin as a brain-gut peptide inDrosophila melanogaster.J. Comp. Neurol. 3, 279–288.
Nambu J. R., Murphy-Erdosh C., Andrews P. C., Feistner G. J., and Scheller R. H. (1988) Isolation and characterization of aDrosophila neuropeptide gene.Neuron 1, 55–61.
Nichols R., Schneuwly S. A., and Dixon J. E. (1988) Identification and characterization of aDrosophila homologue to the vertebrate neuropeptide cholecystokinin.J. Biol. Chem. 263, 12,167–12,170.
Nichols R. (1992a) Isolation and structural characterization ofDrosophila TDVDHVFLRFamide and FMRFamide-containing neural peptides.J. Mol. Neurosci. 3, 213–218.
Nichols R. (1992b) Isolation and expression of theDrosophila drosulfakinin neural peptide gene product, DSK-I.Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 3, 342–347.
O’Brien M. A., Schneider L. E., and Taghert P. H. (1991)In situ hybridization of the FMRFamide neuropeptide gene inDrosophia II. Constancy in the cellular pattern of expression during metamorphosis.J. Comp. Neurol. 304, 623–638.
Posnett D. N. and Tam J. P. (1989) Multiple antigenic peptide method for producing antipeptide site-specific antibodies, inMethods in Enzymology, vol. 178 (Langone J. J., ed.), Academic, New York, pp. 739–746.
Price D. A. and Greenberg M. J. (1977) Structure of a molluscan cardioexcitatory neuropeptide.Science 197, 670–672.
Raffa R. B. (1988) The action of FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2) and related peptides on mammals.Peptides 9, 915–922.
Schneider L. E. and Taghert P. H. (1988) Isolation and characterization of aDrosophila gene that encodes multiple neuropeptides related to Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFamide).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 1993–1997.
Schneider L. E., O’Brien M. A., and Taghert P. H. (1991) In situ hybridization of the FMRFamide neuropeptide gene inDrosophila. I. Restricted expression in embryonic and larval stages.J. Comp. Neurol. 304, 608–622.
Schneider L. E., Sun E. T., Garland D. J., and Taghert P. H. (1993) An immunocytochemical study of the FMRFamide neuropeptide gene products inDrosophila.J. Comp. Neurol. 337, 446–460.
Tibbetts M. and Nichols R. (1993) Immunocyto-chemistry of two sequence-related neuropeptides inDrosophila.Neuropeptides 24, 321–325.
Vandorpe D. H., Small D. L., Dabrowski A. R., and Morris C. E. (1994) FMRFamide and membrane stretch as activators of theAplysia S-channel.Biophys. J. 66, 46–58.
Walther P. and Blobel G. (1981) Translocation of proteins across the endoplasmic reticulum. II. Signal recognition protein (SRP) mediates the selective binding to microsomal membranes of in vitro-assembled polysomes synthesizing secretory proteins.J. Cell Biol. 91, 551–556.
White K., Hurteau P., and Punsal P. (1986) Neuropeptide-FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity inDrosophila: development and distribution.J. Comp. Neurol. 247, 430–438.
Yang H.-Y. T., Fratta W., Majane E. A., and Costa E. (1985) Isolation, sequencing, synthesis, and pharmacological characterization of two brain neuropeptides that modulate the action of morphine.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 7757–7761.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nichols, R., McCormick, J., Lim, I. et al. Cellular expression of theDrosophila melanogaster FMRFamide neuropeptide gene product DPKQDFMRFamide. J Mol Neurosci 6, 1–10 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736754
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736754