The amino acid sequence of a smooth muscle-contracting peptide from chicken rectum. Identity to chicken neurotensin.

Previous studies have demonstrated that chicken rectum contains a peptide which exerts a potent, excitatory action on the smooth muscle of chicken rectum, and this peptide is most likely to be chicken neurotensin isolated recently from chicken small intestine. In the present study, the peptide was extracted from 2 kg of chicken rectums, and then it was isolated by gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography, high voltage paper electrophoresis and HPLC. Amino acid analysis of the peptide revealed that it is a tridecapeptide composed of aspartic acid (Asp), glutamic acid (Glu), proline (Pro), alanine (Ala), valine (Val), isoleucine (Ile), two residues of leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), histidine (His), lysine (Lys) and two residues of arginine (Arg). Its amino acid sequence was determined to be pGlu-Leu-His-Val-Asn-Lys-Ala-Arg-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu-OH. The molecule is identical to chicken neurotensin.