Identification and Expression Profile of a Neuropeptide LFRFamide-Like Gene During Different Stages of Gonadal Development in the Cephalopod Sepia pharaonis

• Published in: Journal of Ocean University of China Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 499 - 508
• Main Authors: Qiu, Jiayin, Sun, Lianlian, Li, Shuang, Zhou, Xu, Chi, Changfeng, Zheng, Libing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.04.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amino acids; Complementary DNA; Developmental stages; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Gene expression; Gonads; Marine molluscs; Metabolism; Meteorology; Neuropeptides; Nucleotide sequence; Oceanography; Optic lobe; Ovaries; PCR; Peptides; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Protein biosynthesis; Protein synthesis; Reproduction; Sepia pharaonis; Vertebrates; cuttlefish; development; cephalopod; neuropeptide; LFRFamide-like; reproduction
• ISSN: 1672-5182; 1993-5021; 1672-5174
• DOI: 10.1007/s11802-024-5715-9

Neuropeptides are widely distributed in vertebrates and invertebrates, regulating a variety of physiological activities in the organisms, such as metabolism, feeding and reproduction. In this study, to explore the function of neuropeptide LFRFamide in Sepia pharaonis , the full-length cDNA of LFRFamide-like gene (named SpLFRFL , MG869822.1) was identified with rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The sequence of SpLFRFL was 860 bp in length and encoded 188 amino acids containing 4 different mature peptides: 1 copy of PHTPFRFamide, NSLFRFamide, TIFRFamide, and 3 copies of GNLFRFamide. Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis results showed that Sp LFRFL shared high identity with LFRFamides of Sepia officinalis and Sepiella japonica and had the closest relationship with them. Through quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), it was found that the SpLFRFL gene was highly expressed in the optic lobe and brain at three different stages during gonad development in both genders. Moreover, the four mature peptides at a concentration of 0.01 µmol L −1 could inhibit the protein synthesis in the Chinese hamster ovary cell strain-K1 (CHO-K1) induced by Sp GnRH. These data suggest that SpLFRFL might be involved in the development and reproduction of S. pharaonis . The results can contribute to future studies on neuropeptide evolution and function and benefit the cuttlefish farming.