Premium
Functional significance of the copper transporter ATP7 in peptidergic neurons and endocrine cells in Drosophila melanogaster
Author(s) -
Sellami Azza,
Wegener Christian,
Veenstra Jan A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.08.009
Subject(s) - drosophila melanogaster , transporter , melanogaster , enteroendocrine cell , endocrine system , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , neuroscience , biochemistry , gene , hormone
The Drosophila ATP7 copper transporter has sequence homology to the human copper transporters ATP7A and ATP7B, which are defective in Menkes and Wilson disease, respectively. We show here that in Drosophila ATP7 is expressed by many peptidergic neurons. As C‐terminal amidation of neuropeptides depends on the copper‐containing enzyme PHM, it seemed likely that in the absence of ATP7 the activity of PHM might be compromised. Indeed, inhibition of ATP7 expression by RNAi led to a decrease in mature amidated neuropeptides and the appearance of C‐terminally Gly‐extended neuropeptides. The strength of this effect differed from one cell type to another; it was very pronounced for AKH and corazonin, but much less so for SIFamide and myosuppressin. Nevertheless, down‐regulation of ATP7 specifically in the SIFamide‐expressing neurons resulted in male–male courtship behavior.