Neuropeptide Diversity Encoded in Newly Sequenced Crustacean Genomes Reveals Signaling Roles during Feeding.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genomics
• Proteomics

Background:

• Neuropeptides regulate physiology and behavior but are poorly characterized in many species due to limited genomic data.
• Crustaceans like Callinectes sapidus and Cancer borealis are important model organisms lacking comprehensive neuropeptidomic data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate genomic information with neuropeptidomics to characterize the neuropeptidomes of Callinectes sapidus and Cancer borealis.
• To identify novel neuropeptides and understand their potential signaling roles in crustaceans.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multispecies precursor database and tBLASTn alignment for in silico prediction of neuropeptides.
• Employed signal peptide detection and mass spectrometry-based profiling for experimental validation.
• Investigated neuropeptide expression changes in response to feeding perturbations.

Main Results:

• Predicted over 23,000 putative peptides across both genomes, with experimental validation of numerous sequences.
• Discovered novel allatostatin B and C isoforms, an insulin-like peptide B-chain-like isoform, and natalisin peptides.
• Identified atypical precursor architecture encoding multiple neuropeptide families and tissue-specific abundance variations.

Conclusions:

• Expanded the known repertoire of crustacean neuropeptides, establishing a valuable resource for comparative biology.
• Provided a genome-enabled framework for discovering peptide signaling molecules in other species.
• Demonstrated functional neuroendocrine roles for newly identified peptides in crustacean ganglia and organs.