UNASSIGNED: Adipokinetic hormones (AKH) are well known regulators of energy metabolism in insects. These neuropeptides are produced in the corpora cardiaca and perform their hormonal function by interacting with specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the cell membranes of target tissues, mainly the fat body. Here, we investigated the sequences, spatial and temporal distributions, and pharmacology of AKH neuropeptides and receptors in the tsetse @entity238 , Glossina morsitans morsitans. The open reading frames of two splice variants of the Glomo-akh receptor (Glomo- @entity29932 ) gene and of the AKH neuropeptide encoding genes, gmmhrth and gmmakh, were cloned. Both tsetse @entity29932 isoforms show strong sequence conservation when compared to other insect AKHRs. Glomo-AKH prepropeptides also have the typical architecture of AKH precursors. In an in  vitro @entity141 mobilization assay, Glomo-AKH neuropeptides activated each receptor isoform up to nanomolar concentrations. We identified structural features of tsetse AKH neuropeptides essential for receptor activation in  vitro. Gene expression profiles suggest a function for AKH signaling in regulating Glossina energy metabolism, where AKH peptides are released from the corpora cardiaca and activate receptors mainly expressed in the fat body. This analysis of the ligand-receptor coupling, expression, and pharmacology of the two Glomo- @entity29932 variants facilitates further elucidation of the function of AKH in G.  m. morsitans.

Characterization and pharmacological analysis of two adipokinetic hormone receptor variants of the tsetse XXXX , Glossina morsitans morsitans.

@entity141 :: ('CHEBI:29108', 'Chemical') :: ['Ca(2+)'] @entity238 :: ('7227', 'Species') :: ['fly'] @entity29932 :: ('33942(Tax:7227)', 'Gene') :: ['akhr', 'AKHR']
@entity238 :: (7227,Species) :: ['fly']
