A new peptide of the oxytocin/vasopressin family isolated from nerves of the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris

Abstract

An oxytocin/vasopressin-immunoreactive peptide was isolated from nerve terminals of the 'neurosecretory system of the vena cava' in octopus. It was purified by HPLC combined with a RIA for oxytocin. Characterization of the peptide by automated Edman degradation, plasma desorption mass spectroscopy, enzymatic treatment and coelution experiments resulted in the structure: Cys-Tyr-Phe-Arg-Asn-Cys-Pro-Ile-Gly-NH2, a nonapeptide with a molecular weight of 1070 Da and a 1-6 disulfide bond. This cephalopod neuropeptide, here called 'cephalotocin', exhibits 78% sequence homology with the vertebrate neurohypophysial hormone mesotocin and clearly belongs to the oxytocin/vasopressin family of vertebrates, confirming the high conservation of this peptide family.