Abstract
Antho-KAamide (L-3-phenyllactyl-Phe-Lys-Ala-NH2) and Antho-RIamide (L-3-phenyllactyl-Tyr-Arg-Ile-NH2) are novel neuropeptides isolated from the sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima. They both inhibited spontaneous contractions of isolated muscle preparations from a wide variety of anemone species (threshold around 10(-7) M). Their actions were universal in that they inhibited every muscle preparation tested, regardless of whether the muscle group was located in the ectoderm or endoderm, or was oriented in a circular or longitudinal direction. Injection of Antho-KAamide or Antho-RIamide into the coelenteron of intact sea anemones resulted in a marked expansion of the animals. Similar shape changes followed feeding or exposure to soluble food extracts. Therefore, we hypothesize that nerve cells that release Antho-KAamide and Antho-RIamide are involved in the expansion phase of feeding behaviour in sea anemones.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Royal Society of London. Proceedings. Biological Sciences |
| Volume | 253 |
| Issue number | 1337 |
| Pages (from-to) | 183-8 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISSN | 0962-8452 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Aug 1993 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Electric Stimulation
- Muscle Contraction
- Muscles
- Neuropeptides
- Oligopeptides
- Sea Anemones
- Species Specificity