RESEARCH ARTICLE Existence and functions of a kisspeptin neuropeptide signaling system in a non- chordate deuterostome species Tianming Wang1,2†*, Zheng Cao3†, Zhangfei Shen3†, Jingwen Yang1,2, Xu Chen1, Zhen Yang1, Ke Xu1, Xiaowei Xiang1, Qiuhan Yu1, Yimin Song1, Weiwei Wang3, Yanan Tian3, Lina Sun4, Libin Zhang4,5, Su Guo2, Naiming Zhou3* 1National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, China; 2Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States; 3Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; 4Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; 5Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China Abstract The kisspeptin system is a central modulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in vertebrates. Its existence outside the vertebrate lineage remains largely unknown. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the kisspeptin system in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. The gene encoding the kisspeptin precursor generates two mature neuropeptides, AjKiss1a and AjKiss1b. The receptors for these neuropeptides, AjKissR1 and AjKissR2, are strongly activated by synthetic A. japonicus and vertebrate kisspeptins, triggering a *For correspondence: rapid intracellular mobilization of Ca2+, followed by receptor internalization. AjKissR1 and AjKissR2
[email protected] (TW); share similar intracellular signaling pathways via G /PLC/PKC/MAPK cascade, when activated by
[email protected] (NZ) aq C-terminal decapeptide. The A. japonicus kisspeptin system functions in multiple tissues that are † These authors contributed closely related to seasonal reproduction and metabolism.