Cloning of a Gene Encoding Bombyxin, an Insulin‐Like Brain Secretory Peptide of the Silkmoth <i>Bombyx mori</i> with Prothoracicotropic Activity

Abstract

A genomic DNA encoding bombyxin, a 5kD brain peptide of the silkmoth Bornbyx mori with prothoracicotropic hormone activity, has been isolated. The nucleotide sequence coding for bombyxin shows high homology with insulin-gene family members and the overall organization of the preprobombyxin gene is the same as in preproinsulin genes, indicating that bombyxin shares a common ancestral molecule with insulin-family peptides. The bombyxin gene has no intron contrasting to other members of insulin-gene family.