Meeting Abstract
Central pattern generator (CPG)-effector systems can produce flexible rhythmic motor output via modulation by both intrinsically- and extrinsically-derived neuropeptides. The cardiac neuromuscular system in the lobster, Homarus americanus, which controls the movement of the heart musculature, is a well-studied but simple CPG-effector system that has been used extensively for investigating peptidergic control of rhythmic behavior. Here, transcriptomes were generated for the two components that comprise the cardiac neuromuscular system, the cardiac ganglion (CG) and cardiac muscle (CM). Transcripts encoding precursor proteins for approximately ten peptide families, including diuretic hormone 31, diuretic hormone 44, myosuppressin, and proctolin, were identified from the CG transcriptome, suggesting that these peptide groups may be produced by neurons in the CG. Transcripts encoding receptors for many of the peptides identified from the CG, including those for all four of the above-mentioned peptide families, were also identified from the CG and/or CM transcriptomes, suggesting that these peptides serve as intrinsic modulators of the cardiac neuromuscular system. Supported by: NSF (IOS-1353023, IOS-1354567, OCE-1459235), NIH (8P20GM103423-12), Cades Fdn., University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Undergrad Res. Opp. Prog., APS Undergrad Res. Fellowship, Doherty Fdn./Bowdoin College
