PROSITE logo
Black ribbon
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Amos Bairoch (1957–2025), the creator of PROSITE. We wish to dedicate our latest paper, published shortly before his death, to him. He will always be a source of inspiration to us.
Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends, and to all those who had the privilege of working with him. Rest in peace, Amos. Your work will live on long after you are gone.
Amos Bairoch

PROSITE documentation PDOC00466
Pyrokinins signature


View entry in original PROSITE document format
View entry in raw text format (no links)
PURL: https://purl.expasy.org/prosite/documentation/PDOC00466

Description

Pyrokinins are insect neuropeptides that mediate visceral muscle contractile activity (myotropic activity) [1]. The pyrokinins are peptides of 8 to 16 amino acids that share the amide-blocked C-terminal sequence Phe-Xaa-Pro-Arg-Leu-NH2, where Xaa is either Gly, Ser, Thr, or Val. This pentapeptide is sufficient to elicit a significant myotropic activity. The same C-terminal sequence is present in the following insect neuropeptides:

  • Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN). PBAN is a hormone that controls sex pheromone production in female moths as well as eliciting pyrokinin-like myotropic activity.
  • Pheromonotropin [2], from Pseudaletia separata, which also controls sex pheromone production.
  • Bombyx mori diapause hormone (DH).
Note:

If the sequence is processed, the peptide ends with a C-terminal amidated Leu while in a precursor sequence it is always followed by a Gly which subsequently provides the amide group.

Last update:

December 1992 / Text revised.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Technical section

PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:

PYROKININ, PS00539; Pyrokinins signature  (PATTERN)


References

1AuthorsNachman R.J. Roberts V.A. Dyson H.J. Holman G.M. Tainer J.A.
TitleActive conformation of an insect neuropeptide family.
SourceProc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88:4518-4522(1991).
PubMed ID2034692

2AuthorsMatsumoto S. Fonagy A. Kurihara M. Uchiumi K. Nagamine T. Chijimatsu M. Mitsui T.
TitleIsolation and primary structure of a novel pheromonotropic neuropeptide structurally related to leucopyrokinin from the armyworm larvae, Pseudaletia separata.
SourceBiochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 182:534-539(1992).
PubMed ID1734867



PROSITE is copyrighted by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License, see prosite_license.html.