Induction of cuticular melanization in Spodoptera littoralis larvae by PBAN/MRCH: development of a quantitative bioassay and structure function analysis
1996
Altstein, M. | Gazit, Y. | Aziz, O.B. | Gabay, T. | Marcus, R. | Vogel, Z. | Barg, J.
PBAN (also termed melanization and reddish coloration hormone, MRCH) is a cerebral factor known to regulate sex pheromone biosynthesis and cuticular melanization in moths. In the present study we developed a quantitative method (based on computerized image analysis of cuticles) to determine the effect of Helicoverpa zea PBAN (Hez-PBAN) on cuticular melanization and to study the structure-activity relationship of the neuropeptide in Spodoptera littoralis larvae. The results indicate that Hez-PBAN stimulates cuticular melanization in an interspecific manner, and that the minimal dose evoking formation of melanins is between 3-10 pmol/larva. Higher doses of Hez-PBAN did not stimulate melanization any further. Examination of the structure-activity relationship of Hez-PBAN revealed that the first eight N-terminal amino acids are not essential for the melanotropic activity and that the activity resides in the C-terminal region. Within this region the C-terminal amide was found to play a very important role.
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