Neuropeptide B (NPB)

PPNPB from a brain cDNA library. The deduced 125-amino acid prepropeptide contains an N-terminal 24-amino acid secretory signal and 2 diarginine (dibasic) motifs that are potential peptide-processing sites. In rat, high expression was detected in lymphoid organs, central nervous system (CNS), mammary gland, and uterus. In situ hybridization of rat brain detected expression in hypothalamus and hippocampus. PPL7 and PPL8 share 23% amino acid identity overall and up to 66% identity in the processed peptides. Mouse and human PPL7 share 58% identity, but the mouse sequence contains only the second dibasic motif. PPL7 at high levels in adult and fetal brain, substantia nigra, spinal cord, placenta, and colorectal adenocarcinoma. The unspliced transcript was detected only at low levels.