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Invertebrate neuropeptides XI
Peptides 32 (2011) 433
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Peptides journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/peptides
Introduction
Invertebrate neuropeptides XI
This special issue of Peptides represents the eleventh in a series dedicated to invertebrate neuropeptides [see also Peptides 31 (3) 2010; Peptides 30 (3) 2009; Peptides 29 (2) 2008; Peptides 28 (1) 2007; Peptides 27 (3) 2006; Peptides 26 (1) 2005; Peptides 24 (10) 2003; Peptides 23 (11) 2002; Peptides 23 (4) 2002; and Peptides 22 (2) 2001] and chronicles recent advances in the field as presented in the Invertebrate Neuropeptide Conference 2010 (INC2010). I wish to thank Editor-in-Chief Abba Kastin for the invitation to serve as guest editor for this issue. The INC 2010 took place in the historic colonial UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mérida, México and featured leading researchers in the field of invertebrate neuropeptides representing 8 countries and 4 continents. The papers in this issue address a number of aspects of invertebrate neuropeptide research, including identification of novel sequences. This category includes research on the identifications of neuropeptides of the central nervous system of the cabbage root fly (Audsley et al.), a cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide from salivary glands of a species of tick (Zhang et al.), a myoactive tetradecapeptide-related peptide from the brain of a squid (Go et al.), the first decapapetide adipokinetic hormone (AKH) in Heteroptera (specifically the South African saucer bug) (Marco et al.), corazonin from the central nervous system of a Chagas disease vector (vinchuca bug) (Settembrini et al.), and novel kinin-related peptides in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus (Te Brugge et al.). A report by Lee et al. describes the cloning and expression of crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) gene, also from R. prolixus. In other work, Crim et al. explore the relationship between the midgut peptide neuropeptide F and the physiology of feeding and digestion of Lepidoptera. Coast, Nachman and coworkers explore modulation of Malpighian tubule secretion by neuropeptides in a predacious hemipteran insect, the spined soldier bug, and compare that with the control of tubule secretion in blood-feeding and herbivorous species. In a separate paper, Coast finds that serotonin has kinin-like activity in stimulating Malpighian tubule secretion in the house cricket. Martinez-Perez et al. investigate the influence of codon usage bias in FGLamide-allatostatin mRNA secondary structure. Li et al. discuss the molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of the cathepsin A gene in the Chinese mitten crab. Smagghe and coworkers study the in vitro ACE inhibition and in vivo antihypertensive effect of insect cell extracts in spontaneous hypertensive rats. In another paper, Iga and Smagghe look at the relationship between larval-pupal metamorphosis and gene expression of both the insulin-like peptide and insulin receptor in the African Cotton Leafworm. Vanden Broeck and coworkers carry out a structure–activity relationship study on the in vitro activity of pacifastin-like inhibitors toward mammalian, locust and caterpillar digestive peptidases. 0196-9781/$ – see front matter. Published by Elsevier Inc. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2010.12.008
A subsequent group of papers explore aspects of neuropeptides and peptide toxins that may be of significance to efforts to develop novel means of controlling insect pests. Herrero et al. find evidence to suggest that the blockade of the neuropeptide leucokinin alters chemosensory responses in Drosophila flies. Possani and coworkers investigate recombinant expression of the scorpion toxic peptide ErgTx1 and the role of Met35 on both its stability and function; whereas Baek et al. report that venom peptides from solitary hunting wasps induce a feeding disorder in lepidopteran larvae. Badisco et al. determine that RNA interference of insulin-related peptide and neuroparsins affect vitellogenesis in the desert locust. Jackson et al. investigate how the open conformation of adipokinetic hormone receptor from the malaria mosquito may facilitate hormone binding. Xie et al. discuss the design, synthesis and bioactivity of peptidomimetic analogs of the insect allatostatins in cockroach assays. Nachman et al. report that while a natural tachykininrelated (TRP) neuropeptide sequence is inactive, biostable analogs of the TRPs demonstrate potent aphicidal effects when fed to the aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum at potencies which match or exceed commercial aphicides. In other work, Soberon and coworkers find evidence that the binding of the Bacillus thuringensis toxin Cry4Ba to Cyt1Aa plays an important role in the observed synergism between these two toxins. The special issue concludes with three review papers—Bravo and coworkers review research on the role of MAPK p38 in the cellular responses to pore forming toxins; Staljanssens et al. review the functions, evolution and structures of the CCK-like receptor throughout the animal kingdom; and Coast describes the development of a consensus nomenclature for insect peptides and peptide hormones. I wish to thank the invited authors for their interesting and insightful contributions, and look forward to a new set of advances in the invertebrate neuropeptide field to be revealed at INC2011, scheduled for February 13–17, 2011 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah overlooking the South China Sea in Malaysian Borneo. Ronald J. Nachman ∗ Insect Neuropeptide Laboratory, Areawide Pest Management Research, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2881 F&B Road, College Station, TX 77845, United States ∗ Tel.:
+1 979 260 9315; fax: +1 979 260 9377. E-mail address:[email protected] Available online 21 December 2010
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Peptides journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/peptides
Introduction
Invertebrate neuropeptides XI
This special issue of Peptides represents the eleventh in a series dedicated to invertebrate neuropeptides [see also Peptides 31 (3) 2010; Peptides 30 (3) 2009; Peptides 29 (2) 2008; Peptides 28 (1) 2007; Peptides 27 (3) 2006; Peptides 26 (1) 2005; Peptides 24 (10) 2003; Peptides 23 (11) 2002; Peptides 23 (4) 2002; and Peptides 22 (2) 2001] and chronicles recent advances in the field as presented in the Invertebrate Neuropeptide Conference 2010 (INC2010). I wish to thank Editor-in-Chief Abba Kastin for the invitation to serve as guest editor for this issue. The INC 2010 took place in the historic colonial UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mérida, México and featured leading researchers in the field of invertebrate neuropeptides representing 8 countries and 4 continents. The papers in this issue address a number of aspects of invertebrate neuropeptide research, including identification of novel sequences. This category includes research on the identifications of neuropeptides of the central nervous system of the cabbage root fly (Audsley et al.), a cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide from salivary glands of a species of tick (Zhang et al.), a myoactive tetradecapeptide-related peptide from the brain of a squid (Go et al.), the first decapapetide adipokinetic hormone (AKH) in Heteroptera (specifically the South African saucer bug) (Marco et al.), corazonin from the central nervous system of a Chagas disease vector (vinchuca bug) (Settembrini et al.), and novel kinin-related peptides in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus (Te Brugge et al.). A report by Lee et al. describes the cloning and expression of crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) gene, also from R. prolixus. In other work, Crim et al. explore the relationship between the midgut peptide neuropeptide F and the physiology of feeding and digestion of Lepidoptera. Coast, Nachman and coworkers explore modulation of Malpighian tubule secretion by neuropeptides in a predacious hemipteran insect, the spined soldier bug, and compare that with the control of tubule secretion in blood-feeding and herbivorous species. In a separate paper, Coast finds that serotonin has kinin-like activity in stimulating Malpighian tubule secretion in the house cricket. Martinez-Perez et al. investigate the influence of codon usage bias in FGLamide-allatostatin mRNA secondary structure. Li et al. discuss the molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of the cathepsin A gene in the Chinese mitten crab. Smagghe and coworkers study the in vitro ACE inhibition and in vivo antihypertensive effect of insect cell extracts in spontaneous hypertensive rats. In another paper, Iga and Smagghe look at the relationship between larval-pupal metamorphosis and gene expression of both the insulin-like peptide and insulin receptor in the African Cotton Leafworm. Vanden Broeck and coworkers carry out a structure–activity relationship study on the in vitro activity of pacifastin-like inhibitors toward mammalian, locust and caterpillar digestive peptidases. 0196-9781/$ – see front matter. Published by Elsevier Inc. doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2010.12.008
A subsequent group of papers explore aspects of neuropeptides and peptide toxins that may be of significance to efforts to develop novel means of controlling insect pests. Herrero et al. find evidence to suggest that the blockade of the neuropeptide leucokinin alters chemosensory responses in Drosophila flies. Possani and coworkers investigate recombinant expression of the scorpion toxic peptide ErgTx1 and the role of Met35 on both its stability and function; whereas Baek et al. report that venom peptides from solitary hunting wasps induce a feeding disorder in lepidopteran larvae. Badisco et al. determine that RNA interference of insulin-related peptide and neuroparsins affect vitellogenesis in the desert locust. Jackson et al. investigate how the open conformation of adipokinetic hormone receptor from the malaria mosquito may facilitate hormone binding. Xie et al. discuss the design, synthesis and bioactivity of peptidomimetic analogs of the insect allatostatins in cockroach assays. Nachman et al. report that while a natural tachykininrelated (TRP) neuropeptide sequence is inactive, biostable analogs of the TRPs demonstrate potent aphicidal effects when fed to the aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum at potencies which match or exceed commercial aphicides. In other work, Soberon and coworkers find evidence that the binding of the Bacillus thuringensis toxin Cry4Ba to Cyt1Aa plays an important role in the observed synergism between these two toxins. The special issue concludes with three review papers—Bravo and coworkers review research on the role of MAPK p38 in the cellular responses to pore forming toxins; Staljanssens et al. review the functions, evolution and structures of the CCK-like receptor throughout the animal kingdom; and Coast describes the development of a consensus nomenclature for insect peptides and peptide hormones. I wish to thank the invited authors for their interesting and insightful contributions, and look forward to a new set of advances in the invertebrate neuropeptide field to be revealed at INC2011, scheduled for February 13–17, 2011 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah overlooking the South China Sea in Malaysian Borneo. Ronald J. Nachman ∗ Insect Neuropeptide Laboratory, Areawide Pest Management Research, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2881 F&B Road, College Station, TX 77845, United States ∗ Tel.:
+1 979 260 9315; fax: +1 979 260 9377. E-mail address:[email protected] Available online 21 December 2010