Disease relevance of Fmrf

• We also found that some of the PDHLI neurons in the Phormia brain and abdominal ganglion contain colocalized FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity [1].

High impact information on Fmrf

• This signal acts together with apterous and squeeze to activate FMRFamide expression [2].
• These results suggest that, in the mature nervous system, the complex pattern of FMRFamide neuropeptide gene expression derives from the activity of discrete, cell type-specific enhancers that are independently regulated [3].
• We have used lacZ reporter gene constructs to study the promoter/enhancer regions of the Drosophila FMRFamide neuropeptide gene in germ line transformants [3].
• This peptide exhibits sequence homology to the molluscan bioactive tetrapeptide FMRFamide and is a novel member of the FMRFamide peptide family [4].
• To our knowledge, the cloned DrmFMRFa-R is the first functionally active FMRFamide G protein-coupled receptor described in invertebrates to date [5].

Biological context of Fmrf

• FMRFamide-related peptides and serotonin regulate Drosophila melanogaster heart rate: Mechanisms and structure requirements [6].
• A Drosophila gene that encodes neuropeptides related to molluscan Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFamide) was isolated by screening a genomic library with a fragment of an Aplysia Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 cDNA and with synthetic oligonucleotides [7].
• Finally, we show that supplying FMRFa in neurosecretory cells partially rescues the wit lethal phenotype without rescuing the primary morphological or electrophysiological defects of wit mutants [8].
• The Drosophila FMRFamide gene is comprised of two exons separated by a 2.8-kb intervening sequence [9].
• In order to explore molecular mechanisms involved in FMRFamide signal transduction we identified a receptor from the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae genome (Holt et al., 2002), AngFMRFa-R, and compared its structure to DrmFMRFa-R [10].

Anatomical context of Fmrf

• Amidated neuropeptides of the FMRFamide class regulate numerous physiological processes including synaptic efficacy at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) [8].
• Substance P-, FMRFamide-, and gastrin/cholecystokinin-like immunoreactive neurons in the thoraco-abdominal ganglia of the flies Drosophila and Calliphora [11].
• Another prominent defect in tinman is the loss of all dorsal neurohemal organs, FMRFamide-expressing thoracic structures which likely contain the homologs of the transverse nerve exit glia in the thoracic segments [12].
• This effect is specific to 5-HT fibers, since glutamate-like and FMRFamide-like immunoreactive fibers of the proventriculus and midgut remain unaffected in the mutant [13].
• Prior to metamorphosis, the Drosophila FMRFamide gene is expressed exclusively within the central nervous system in a stereotyped pattern that comprises roughly 60 neurons (Schneider et al., '91) [14].

Associations of Fmrf with chemical compounds

• The structures of DMS, FLT, and SDNFMRFamide differ and each peptide is encoded by a different gene [15].
• From the present study it appears as if neuropeptides related to substance P, FMRFamide and CCK have roles as neurotransmitters/neuromodulators and circulating neurohormones in Drosophila and Calliphora [11].
• NSCs labeled by the expression of Drosophila insulin-like peptide (Dilp), FMRF, and myomodulin form part of the Dchx1 expressing PI domain [16].
• We discuss evidence for a medulla site of action for a released FMRFamide-like peptide, either from: MeRF2 cells, acting directly on L1 and L2's medulla terminals; or MeRF1 cells, acting indirectly via medulla centrifugal cells C2 and C3 [17].

Regulatory relationships of Fmrf

• Retrograde Gbb signaling through the Bmp type 2 receptor wishful thinking regulates systemic FMRFa expression in Drosophila [8].

Other interactions of Fmrf

• Fmrf expression is controlled by a combinatorial code of intrinsic factors and an extrinsic BMP signal [18].
• TPAEDFMRFamide and DMS each contains a RFamide C-terminus; however, their effects on crop contractions differ, which suggests that unique receptors or different ligand:receptor binding requirements exist for these structurally related peptides [19].
• These data support the conclusion that the structure of the FMRFamide receptor and activity of the cardioexcitatory FMRFamide neuropeptide are conserved in mosquito [10].
• Reconstituting this "code," by combined BMP activation and apterous/squeeze misexpression, triggers ectopic FMRFamide expression in peptidergic neurons [2].
• The short NPF receptor was not activated by any of the other tested arthropod peptides, not even by FMRFamide-related peptides (also ending in RFamide), indicating that the Arg residue at position 4 from the amidated C-terminus appears to be crucial for the response elicited by the sNPFs [20].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Fmrf

• The third lethal complementation group was excluded as being FMRFamide mutants by sequence analysis and by immunocytochemistry with proFMRFamide precursor-specific antibodies [21].
• In situ hybridization analysis of the FMRFamide neuropeptide gene in Drosophila. I. Restricted expression in embryonic and larval stages [22].
• We established a triple-label immunofluorescence protocol using antisera raised in the same host species and mapped the neural distribution of SDNFMRFamide, DPKQDFMRFamide, and TPAEDFMRFamide [23].
• Daytime microinjections show that another neuropeptide, similar to molluscan FMRFamide, shrinks M. domestica's L1 and L2 axons, thus opposing the action of PDF [17].

References