Preliminary Report of a Neurokinin-Like Receptor Gene Sequence for the Nemertean Paranemertes sp.

Tachykinins (TKs) are a family of neurotransmitters that function as signaling molecules for such processes as maintaining homeostasis, regulating stress response, and modulating pain. TKs require the expression of at least one of three receptor subtypes: Neurokinin Receptor-1 (NKR-1), Neurokinin Receptor-2 (NKR-2), or Neurokinin Receptor-3 (NKR-3). We have isolated and cloned a portion of a gene coding for a tachykinin-like receptor from the nemertean Paranemertes sp.