Isolation and structural characterization of a novel peptide related to γ‐melanocyte stimulating hormone from the brain of the leech Theromyzon tessulatum

Abstract
This paper reports the purification of a novel pro-opiomelanocortin derivative peptide (a γ-melanocyte stimulating hormone-like (γ-MSH-like) molecule) from the brain of the leech Theromyzon tessulatum. After reverse-phase HPLC purification, the sequence of the γ-MSH-like peptide (YVMGHFRWDKFamide) was established by a combination of automated Edman degradation, electrospray mass spectrometry measurement, enzymatic treatment and co-elution experiments in reverse-phase HPLC with synthetic peptides.