SYNTHESIS AND EXPRESSION OF GENES ENCODING PUTATIVE INSECT NEUROPEPTIDE PRECURSORS IN TOBACCO

Neuropeptides are the key molecules in a multiplicity of physiological processes and their use in pest control has recently been suggested. Most neuropeptides are produced in the form of a precursor that is cle aved by proteolysis to yield various biologically active peptides. To mimic this structure, a method has been developed for synthesizing gen es that code for putative polyneuropeptide precursors. As a model neur opeptide, the 5-amino-acid proctolin, one of the best studied inverteb rate neuropeptides, functioning both as a visceral and a skeletal neur omuscular transmitter, was chosen. The synthetic gene was introduced i nto bacteria and tobacco plants, where it was efficiently transcribed. We present our results as a possible approach for the expression, in a variety of organisms, of synthetic genes coding for a wide repertoir e of insect neuropeptides.