*************************************** * Pancreatic hormone family signature * *************************************** Pancreatic hormone (PP) [1] is a peptide synthesized in pancreatic islets of Langherhans, which acts as a regulator of pancreatic and gastrointestinal functions. A number of other active peptides are homologous to pancreatic hormone: - Neuropeptide Y (NPY) [2], one of the most abundant peptides in the mammalian nervous system. NPY is implicated in the control of feeding and the secretion of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. - Peptide YY (PYY) [3]. PPY is a gut peptide that inhibits exocrine pancreatic secretion, has a vasoconstrictory action and inhibits jejunal and colonic mobility. - Various NPY and PYY-like polypeptides from fish and amphibians [4,5]. All these peptides are thirty six amino acids long. Like most active peptides, their C-terminal is amidated and they are synthesized as larger protein precursors. The signature for these peptides is based on the last twelve C-terminal residues, where five positions are completely conserved. -Consensus pattern: [RQ]-x-Y-x-N-x-[LIVM]-T-R-x-R-[YF] -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL, except for pancreatic hormone from goose and from frogs. -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: NONE. -Last update: December 1992 / Pattern and text revised. [ 1] Blundell T.L., Humber R.E. Nature 287:781-787(1980). [ 2] Allen J., Novotny J., Martin J., Heinrich G. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84:2532-2536(1987). [ 3] Tatemoto K. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79:2514-2518(1982). [ 4] Jensen J., Conlon J.M. Eur. J. Biochem. 210:405-410(1992). [ 5] Conlon J.M., Chartrel N., Vaudry H. Peptides 13:145-149(1992).