1. Occurrence and neuroendocrine role of<scp>D</scp>-aspartic acid andN-methyl-<scp>D</scp>-aspartic acid inCiona intestinalis
- Author
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Patrizia Spinelli, Salvatore D'Aniello, Rakesh K. Rastogi, Antonietta De Simone, Maria Maddalena Di Fiore, Antimo D'Aniello, George H. Fisher, Margherita Branno, Francesco Aniello, D'Aniello, A, Spinelli, P, De Simone, A, D'Aniello, S, Branno, M, Aniello, Francesco, Fisher, Gh, Di Fiore, Mm, Rastogi, Rk, DE SIMONE, A, Aniello, F, DI FIORE, Maria Maddalena, Antimo, D\'Aniello, Patrizia, Spinelli, ANTONIETTA DE, Simone, Salvatore, D\'Aniello, Margherita, Branno, Francesco, Aniello, Rastogi, RAKESH KUMAR, MARIA M., DI FIORE, and RAKESH K., Rastogi
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Male ,Invertebrate Hormones ,Ciona intestinali ,N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid ,Gonadotropin-releasing hormone ,Biochemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Structural Biology ,D-Aspartic acid ,Testosterone ,Progesterone ,0303 health sciences ,ATP synthase ,biology ,Reproduction ,Stereoisomerism ,Ciona intestinalis ,Protochordate ,NMDA receptor ,Female ,hormones, hormone substitutes, and hormone antagonists ,endocrine system ,medicine.medical_specialty ,N-Methylaspartate ,Evolution ,Biophysics ,Aspartate racemase ,In Vitro Techniques ,03 medical and health sciences ,Internal medicine ,Genetics ,medicine ,Animals ,Gonads ,Molecular Biology ,030304 developmental biology ,Aspartic Acid ,Cell Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Neurosecretory Systems ,Endocrinology ,chemistry ,biology.protein ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Hormone - Abstract
Probes for the occurrence of endogenous D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) in the neural complex and gonads of a protochordate, the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, have confirmed the presence of these two excitatory amino acids and their involvement in hormonal activity. A hormonal pathway similar to that which occurs in vertebrates has been discovered. In the cerebral ganglion D-Asp is synthesized from L-Asp by an aspartate racemase. Then, D-Asp is transferred through the blood stream into the neural gland where it gives rise to NMDA by means of an NMDA synthase. NMDA, in turn, passes from the neuronal gland into the gonads where it induces the synthesis and release of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The GnRH in turn modulates the release and synthesis of testosterone and progesterone in the gonads, which are implicated in reproduction. © 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
- Published
- 2003
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