Primary structure of a cardioactive neuropeptide from the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta.

The amino acid sequence of the first of a family of insect cardioregulatory peptides from the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, has been determined using a combination of Edman degradation microsequencing and mass spectroscopy. This peptide contains 9 amino acid residues and an observed mass for the monoisotopic protonated molecule of 956.4 Da. There are two cysteines at positions 3 and 9 forming a disulfide bridge and the carboxyl-terminus is amidated. The structure of this peptide, Pro-Phe-Cys-Asn-Ala-Phe-Thr-Gly-Cys-NH2, is identical to a peptide recently isolated from crabs called crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) and we propose that this peptide be named Manduca CCAP.