Spatial and temporal expression identify dromyosuppressin as a brain-gut peptide in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila dromyosuppressin peptide (TDVDHVFLRFamide) is a member of a family of peptides containing the common C-terminal sequence-RFamide. Dromyosuppressin shares a high degree of sequence homology with leucomyosuppressin isolated from cockroach (pEDVDHVFLRFamide) and identity with neomyosuppressin isolated from fleshfly. By means of sequence-specific antisera, the cellular expression pattern of dromyosuppressin immunoreactive material was determined for all stages of Drosophila development. Dromyosuppressin immunoreactivity first appears in two cells of the medial protocerebrum in embryos. The larval stage is characterized by an increase in the number of dromyosuppressin immunoreactive cells in the brain and the first appearance of cellular expression in the ventral ganglion. Immunoreactive fibers extend from the medial protocerebrum cells into the ventral ganglion. Relative to the larval stage, the pupal and adult stages are marked by an increase in the number of immunoreactive cells in the central nervous system and an increase in the arborization of immunoreactive fibers extending from these cells. Immunoreactivity is present in larvae in two cells near the anus; in the adult gut, expression is observed in two cells in the rectum and immunoreactive fibers in the crop that appear to extend from the central nervous system. In general, the number of cells containing dromyosuppressin immunoreactive material increases throughout Drosophila development. However, expression in three cells is restricted to specific developmental periods. These data identify dromyosuppressin as a brain-gut peptide regulated at both a cellular and developmental level.