Characterization and distribution of neuropeptide Y in the brain of a caecilian amphibian

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) from the brain of an amphibian from the order Gymnophi ona (the caecilian, Typhlonectes natans) was characterized. We cloned a 790 base pair cDNA encoding the caecilian NPY precursor. The open reading fram e consisted of 291 bases, indicating an NPY precursor of 97 amino acids. B oth deduced and isolated NPY primary structures were Tyr- Pro- Ser-Lys-Pro- Asp-Asn-Pro-Gly-Glu(10) -Asp-Ala-Pro-Ala-Glu-Asp-Met-Ala-Lys-Tyr(20) -Tyr-S er-Ala-Leu-Arg-His-Tyr-Ile-Asn-Leu(30)-Ile-Thr-Arg-Gln-Arg-Tyr . NH2. In ca ecilian brain, we observed NPY immunoreactive cells within the medial palli um, basal forebrain, preoptic area, midbrain tegmentum and trigeminal nucle us. The prevalence of preoptic and hypothalamic terminal field staining sup ports the hypothesis that NPY controls pituitary function in this caecilian . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.