A NOVEL MEMBER OF THE BOMBYXIN GENE FAMILY - STRUCTURE AND EXPRESSIONOF BOMBYXIN G1 GENE, AN INSULIN-RELATED PEPTIDE GENE OF THE SILKMOTH BOMBYX-MORI

Bombyxin G1 gene, a novel insulin-related peptide gene of the silkmoth Bombyx mori, has been identified. The G1 gene encodes a precursor pep tide which shows 41-56% and 28% sequence identities with preprobombyxi ns previously characterized and human preproinsulin, respectively. The G1 gene forms a pair with bombyxin C2 gene with opposite transcriptio nal orientation in a bombyxin gene cluster. The bombyxin G1 mRNA in Bo mbyx brain was shown to locate in four pairs of medial neurosecretory cells.