cDNA cloning of two different serine protease inhibitor precursors in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria

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Abstract
Recently, a novel serine protease‐inhibiting peptide family, designated as the ‘pacifastin family’, has been described in locusts and crayfish. All members of this family possess a characteristic cysteine‐rich domain. The present study describes the cDNA cloning, sequencing and transcript distribution of two novel pacifastin‐related peptide precursors in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. Only one of the encoded peptides (HI) was identified previously, whereas six others represent new members of the pacifastin family. Northern blot analysis showed that both precursor transcripts are present in adult locust fat body. These could not be detected in the midgut. Interestingly, an in silico data mining approach of the expressed sequence tags (EST) database revealed the existence of Manduca sexta and Bombyx mori cDNAs that display pronounced sequence similarities with these locust pacifastin‐related transcripts.