@article {1738, title = {Gene organization and expression of a neuropeptide Y homolog from the land planarian Arthurdendyus triangulatus}, journal = {J Comp Neurol}, volume = {454}, year = {2002}, month = {2002 Dec 02}, pages = {58-64}, abstract = {

Neuropeptide Y is one of the most widespread regulatory peptides within the vertebrate nervous system and shares the C-terminal motif [FY]-x(3)-[LIVM]-x(2)-Y-x(3)-[LIVMFY]-x-R-x-R-[YF] with pancreatic polypeptide, peptide YY, and fish pancreatic peptide Y. All four peptides are believed to have arisen from a single ancestral gene through successive gene duplication events in vertebrates. The origin of this peptide family may date back further still; similarly sized peptide transmitters with an identical C-terminal motif have been identified in molluscs and flatworms and designated neuropeptide F (NPF). Cloning of the npf gene from the parasitic flatworm Moniezia expansa identified some unusual features within the peptide precursor organization but, at the same time, provided support for an evolutionary relationship of npf and npy genes through the presence of a single intron at a conserved position. To extend the analysis of the evolutionary relationships between invertebrate NPF and vertebrate NPY family peptides, the NPF precursor from the turbellarian Arthurdendyus triangulatus was characterized. Sequence analysis revealed the npf transcript to be 362 base pairs in length encoding a single open reading frame of 81 amino acids. The precursor comprises a signal peptide followed by the mature peptide of 36 amino acids in length, terminating in the typical invertebrate GRPRF motif, followed by a carboxyterminal glycyl extension. The NPF precursor of A. triangulatus shows significant similarities to the vertebrate NPY peptides. Indeed, the N-terminus of A. triangulatus prepro-NPF corresponds more closely to that of the vertebrate peptide homologs than to that of other invertebrate NPFs isolated to date. Immunocytochemical localization studies have demonstrated NPF immunoreactivity throughout the nervous system of A. triangulatus, particularly in association with muscular structures. The data support an early evolutionary origin for this peptide transmitter family within the nervous system of basal bilaterians.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Base Sequence, DNA, Complementary, Genomic Library, Helminth Proteins, Introns, Molecular Sequence Data, Nervous system, Neuropeptide Y, Organ Specificity, planarians, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid}, issn = {0021-9967}, doi = {10.1002/cne.10440}, author = {Dougan, Paula M and Mair, Gunnar R and Halton, David W and Curry, W James and Day, Tim A and Maule, Aaron G} } @article {1728, title = {Parvalbumin-immunoreactive proteins in the nervous system of planarians}, journal = {Cell Mol Neurobiol}, volume = {15}, year = {1995}, month = {1995 Aug}, pages = {401-10}, abstract = {

1. Using immunological methods, we have identified parvalbumin-like material in the triclade flatworms, Polycelis nigra, Polycelis auriculata, Crenobia alpina, Dugesia tahitiensis, and Dugesia polychroa. 2. Western immunoblot analysis of these five species revealed heat stable parvalbumin-immunoreactive proteins between 32 kD and 44 kD. 3. Proteins at 19 and 32 kD revealed intense labeling with 45Ca2+. 4. Double immunodiffusion of planarian supernatants showed complete fusion of precipitates, indicating immunological relatedness of the parvalbumin-like material among the species investigated. 5. Immunocytochemical studies exhibit parvalbumin-immunoreactive material exclusively in neurons supporting the notion of an early evolutionary appearance of these proteins in the nervous system.

}, keywords = {Animals, Blotting, Western, Calcium-Binding Proteins, Immunohistochemistry, Molecular Weight, Nervous system, Parvalbumins, planarians}, issn = {0272-4340}, author = {Hutticher, A and Kerschbaum, H H and Kainz, V and Bito, M and Hermann, A} } @article {1695, title = {Serotonin in the nervous system of the head region of the land planarian Bipalium kewense}, volume = {35}, year = {2003}, month = {2003/12//}, pages = {479 - 486}, abstract = {

The presence and distribution of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) in the head region of the land planarian Bipalium kewense has been investigated by an indirect immunofluorescence technique combined with confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), and also by immunogold labeling at ultrastructural level. Serotonin immunoreactivity (IR) was restricted to elements of the nervous system, such as the cerebral ganglion, and the peripheral nerve net. Most of 5-HT-immunoreactive neurons are at the periphery of the brain; they were identified as unipolar, bipolar, and multipolar neurons. The ultrastructural results using immunogold labeling confirm the location of 5-HT within electron-dense vesicles (50\–120 nm in diameter), clustered both in the cell bodies and in their processes. The intense 5-HT-IR herein demonstrated for B. kewense adds new data to the poorly studied nervous system of land planarians.

}, keywords = {Cephalic ganglion, Immunohistochemistry, Land planaria, Nervous system, Plathelminthes, Serotonin}, isbn = {0040-8166}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040816603000740}, author = {Fernandes, M.C and Alvares, E.P and Gama, P and Silveira, M} }