Cloning and tissue distribution of the cyclic AMP gener- ating peptide of the grey flesh fly Neobellieria bullata (Diptera : Sarcophagidae)

Originally, two forms of cyclic AMP Generating Peptide (cGP) were identified in whole body extracts of the flesh fly Neobellieria bullata. The long form, a 48-mer, stimulated cAMP production by Malpighian tubules of Manduca sexta. The short form, which had been discovered previously with an ovarian bioassay, turned out to be the 1-15 aa sequence of the 48-mer. We here report on the cloning, sequencing and expression profile of the cGP-gene in N. bullata. The full-length cDNA sequence, obtained by RT-PCR in combination with 5' and 3' RACE, encodes a single copy of the cGP precursor. No signal peptide is present in this precursor, which, compared to the mature peptide, is only extended at the N-terminus with an extra methionine residue. RT-PCR revealed that Neb-cGP is expressed in both larval and adult brain, testis and ovaries, flight muscles, Malpighian tubules, midgut, and fat body.