Allatostatin C and its paralog allatostatin double C: The arthropod somatostatins

Jan A. Veenstra
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2009-03-01; 39(3): 161-170
DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.10.014

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1. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2009 Mar;39(3):161-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.10.014.
Epub 2008 Nov 27.

Allatostatin C and its paralog allatostatin double C: the arthropod
somatostatins.

Veenstra JA(1).

Author information:
(1)Université de Bordeaux, CNRS CNIC UMR 5228, Talence Cedex, France.

Arthropods do not have one, but two genes encoding an allatostatin C-like
peptide. The newly discovered paralog gene was called Ast-CC, and the peptide
which it is predicted to make was called allatostatin double C (ASTCC). Genes for
both allatostatin C (ASTC) and its paralog were found in the tick Ixodes
scapularis as well as dipteran, lepidopteran, coleopteran, aphidoidean and
phthirapteran insect species. In addition partial or complete cDNAs derived from
Ast-CCs were found in a number of species, including Drosophila melanogaster,
Bombyx mori and Rhodnius prolixus. The ASTCC precursors have a second conserved
peptide sequence suggesting that they may produce two biologically active
peptides. The predicted precursors encoded by the Ast-CCs have some unusual
features, particularly in Drosophila, where they lack a signal peptide, and have
instead a peptide anchor. These unusual structural features suggest that they are
perhaps expressed by cells that are not specialized in neuropeptide synthesis and
that in Drosophila ASTCC may be a juxtacrine. Data from the Fly Atlas project
show that in Drosophila Ast-CC is little expressed. Nevertheless a P-element
insertion in this gene is embryonic lethal, suggesting that it is an essential
gene. Similarity between the precursors and receptors of ASTC/ASTCC and
somatostatin suggests that ASTC/ASTCC and somatostatin have a common ancestor.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.10.014
PMID: 19063967 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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