TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kress, H.
A1  - Jarrin, A.
A1  - Thuroff, E.
A1  - Saunders, R.
A1  - Weise, C.
A1  - Schmidt am Busch, Marcel
A1  - Knapp, E. W.
A1  - Wedde, M.
A1  - Vilcinskas, Andreas
T1  - A Kunitz type protease inhibitor related protein is synthesized in Drosophila prepupal salivary glands and released into the moulting fluid during pupation
N2  - From the Drosophila virilis late puff region 31C, we microcloned two neighbouring genes, Kil-1 and Kil-2, that encode putative Kunitz serine protease inhibitor like proteins. The Kil-1 gene is expressed exclusively in prepupal salivary glands. Using a size mutant of the KIL-1 protein and MALDI-TOF analysis, we demonstrate that during pupation this protein is released from the prepupal salivary glands into the pupation fluid covering the surface of the pupa. 3-D- structure predictions are consistent with the known crystal structure of the human Kunitz type protease inhibitor 2KNT. This is the first experimental proof for the extra-corporal presence of a distinct Drosophila prepupal salivary gland protein. Possible functions of KIL-1 in the context of the control of proteolytic activities in the pupation fluid are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Y1  - 2004
SN  - 0965-1748
ER  -