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Poster PresentationA first step in evaluating sNLP-12b as an antagonist to red flour beetle sulfakinin signalingMegan BakerAlexander MedvedeffBenjamin Maynard and Ruthann Nichols Dept. of Biological Chemistry, University of MichiganAdvisor: Ruthann Nichols, Dept. of Biological Chemistry, University of MichiganSulfakinins (SKs) are insect neuropeptides which regulate gut and heart contractions and inhibitfood intake by signaling through family A G protein-coupled receptors. Identifying SK peptidereceptorcontact sites is important to understanding how these peptides act. In a previous study,the nematode peptide sNLP-12b behaved as a putative antagonist to SK receptors in red flourbeetle as measured by a food intake assay. Docking SK ligands as well as sNLP-12b to red flourbeetle SK receptors (TcSKRs) was a first step to determine whether the putative antagonist actsthrough the beetle SK pathway or through a different signaling pathway. Our work includednovel receptor modeling and SK ligand docking to TcSKR1 and to TcSKR2, a protein previouslyunexplored in the signaling pathway. Our results suggest that sNLP-12b makes contacts withTcSKRs and may act as an antagonist to the SK signaling pathway.23