An active pseudopeptide analog of the leucokinin insect neuropeptide family

A pseudopeptide analog of the active core of the leucokinin insect neuropeptide family was synthesized and found to retain myotropic activity. No reports of active pseudopeptide analogs of an insect or other invertebrate neuropeptide have previously appeared in the literature. The pseudopeptide (Phe psi [CH2-NH] Phe-Ser-Trp-Gly-NH2) contains a reduced-amide linkage between the two N-terminal Phe residues. Unlike its amide-bond containing counterpart, the activity of the pseudopeptide was not destroyed upon exposure to aminopeptidase M.