Price, M.D., Merte, J., Nichols, R., Koladich, P.M., Tobe, S.S., Bendena, W.G. (2002). Drosophila melanogaster flatline encodes a myotropin orthologue to Manduca sexta allatostatin.  Peptides 23(4): 787--794.

FBrf0147181

Research paper

We identified a Drosophila melanogaster gene encoding a peptide that dramatically decreases spontaneous muscle contractions and, correspondingly, named the peptide flatline (FLT). This gene consisted of 4 exons and was cytologically localized to 32D2-3. Processing of a predicted 122 amino acid precursor would release pEVRYRQCYFNPISCF that differs from Manduca sexta allatostatin (Mas-AST) by one amino acid, Y4-->F4. FLT does not act as an allatostatin. In situ tissue hybridization further suggests FLT is a novel brain-gut peptide and specifically, the measured activity indicates that it is a potent myotropin. Despite its profound myotropic effect, pupae injected with FLT eclosed.