A protein fraction in locust hemolymph associated with the moulting cycle

Résumé Une étude électrophorétique de l'hémolymphe aux divers stades de développement du criquet,Locusta migratoria migratorioides, révèle la présence d'une fraction protéique dont le comportement semble être lié au cycle de la mue.     

Changes in the free amino acid pattern of haemolymph of the common indian scorpionPalamnaeus bengalensis during moulting

Summary Haemolymph ofPalamnaeus bengalensis contains normally 12 and during moulting up to 15 free amino acids, being in maximal number at the end of ecdysis. Aminoacidaemia is most pronounced during the pharate stage. Tyrosine appeared for tanning of the cuticle. Taurine and methionine were not present.Acknowledgment. The author is thankful to Dr.S. C. Shrivastava for valuable guidance and State C.S.I.R. (U.P.) for funds.     

Biological activity of synthetic moulting hormone analogues in the blowflyCalliphora stygia

Résumé L'activité biologique de la 2, 22, 25-trideoxy--ecdysone chezCalliphora est plus élevéc que celle de toutes les substances analogues examinées.     

A new,unexpected marine source of a molting hormone. Isolation of ecdysterone in large amounts from the zoanthidGerardia savaglia

Summary Ecdysterone was found in large amounts in the Mediterranean zoanthidGerardia savaglia both immediately after its collection and after it had been kept for 15 months in an aquarium. This is the first time that an ecdysteroid has been found in a marine animal which does not belong to the phylum Arthropoda.Acknowledgments. We are grateful to Dr E. Volpi, Trento, for collecting, and keeping alive, the zoanthid, and to Prof. L. Rossi, Torino, both for the identification and for useful comments, and to Prof. L. Colombo, Padova, for stimulating discussions. This work was funded by the Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Assessorato Agricoltura e Foreste, within our program for biological control of phytopathogenic fungi, by C.N.R., Roma, and by M.P.I., through the Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina in Livorno.Laboratorio di Chimica.Stazione Sperimentale Agraria.To whom reprint requests should be addressed.     

Moulting hormone content in prothoracic glands and oenocytes ofTenebrio molitor within a moulting cycle

Zusammenfassung An isolierten und homogenisierten Prothorakaldrüsen und Oenocyten vonTenebrio wurde der Gehalt an Häutungshormonen mit Hilfe des Calliphoratests bestimmt. Dabei stellte sich heraus, dass sowohl Prothorakaldrüsen als auch Oenocyten während des gesamten Häutungszyklus verpuppungsaktive Stoffe, wenn auch in unterschiedlicher Menge, enthalten. Die Ergebnisse werden mit jenen verglichen, bei denen der Hormontiter durch Extraktion ganzer Tiere bestimmt wurde. In Verbindung damit wurde das Zusammenspiel von Synthese und Abbau der Hormone diskutiert.

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Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Vitellogenin synthesis induced in locust fat body by juvenile hormone analog in vitro

Summary Fat bodies from adult females ofLocusta migratoria continue to synthesize vitellogenin and other proteins when cultured in vitro. A strong secondary induction of vitellogenin synthesis was obtained in fat bodies cultured in the presence of methoprene, and a weaker but significant primary induction was also obtained using higher doses (>100 g) of methoprene.This work was carried out in Dr G.R. Wyatts Laboratory and I thank him for helpful discussions. I also thank Dr G. Staal (Zoecon Corp.) for supplying the methoprene and Pfizer Inc. for rimocidin sulfate. This research was supported by grants from the US NIH (HD 02176) and Canada NSERC.     

Demonstration of a specific androgen binding protein (ABP) in the seminal plasma of the ram]

A specific androgen binding protein has been demonstrated in the seminal plasma of adult Ram. This protein binds especially to 5 alpha-DHT and testosterone and much lower to oestradiol-17 beta. Its characteristics such as Ka (in order 10(9) M(-1) at 4 degrees C), relative mobility (Rf) and its specificity are similar to those of the androgen binding protein (ABP) of the Rete Testis Fluid and the epididymal plasma of the Ram. It is probable that this protein secreted from the testis, crosses the epididymis before being secreted in the seminal plasma at the moment of the ejaculation.     

A specific protein in the genusRhynchosciara (Diptera,Sciaridae)

Summary Proteins immunologically related toRhynchosciara americana larval protein 10 occur in the hemolymph and ovaries of five different fly species of the genusRhynchosciara. Electrophoretic analyses showed these proteins to have a mol.wt similar to that of theR. americana protein 10 (43,000), e.g. theR. hollanderi protein 44,300, theR. milleri protein 45,500.     

Transesterification of juvenile hormone occurs in vivo in locust when injected in alcoholic solvents

Catabolism of juvenile hormone was studied in vivo in the African locust by injection of the labelled natural enantiomer (10R) (12-³H) JH-III. Due to the poor solubility of JH in aqueous solution, it was injected in a water-miscible solvent. Ethanol was chosen for its apparently low toxicity towards the locust. In these experimental conditions, reverse phase liquid chromatography procedure (RP-HPLC) coupled with on line radiodetection, revealed an apolar metabolite of JH-III. This compound was found both in adult females and in fifth stadium larvae. We demonstrate that this metabolite resulted from substitution of the carboxyl methyl group of JH-III by some hydrophobic moiety. This compound co-migrates in our RP-HPLC system with the JH analog epoxy-ethyl farnesoate (JH-III ethyl ester) obtained by KCN-catalysed transesterification of JH-III in ethanol. Both JH-III ethyl ester of chemical origin and biological compounds extracted from locusts give the same spectra when analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Transesterification of JH-III was not observed with locust tissues incubated in vitro but occurred in vivo even if JH was injected in other alcoholic solvents such as propanol. Our data suggest that transesterification of JH-III occurred in vivo and underline the role of injecting solvent in in vivo studies.     

A simplified assay for cyclic AMP using protein kinase binding

Summary The protein kinase binding assay for cAMP was modified by substitution of adsorption by QAE cellulose for the membrane filtration. This modification obviates the variation of recovery of cAMP with the volume of buffer used to wash the filter. The assay is reproducible and technically simpler than those currently employed.Acknowledgment. This work was partially supported by grants HL-16583 and HL-18827 from the National Heart and Lung Institute.     

The role of crustecdysone in the moulting crayfish

Résumé La crustecdysone injectée dans l'écrevisse,Procambarus sinulans ne cause pas la mue chez l'animal intact mais l'accélère après ablation des pédoncules oculaires.     

A specific GT1 ganglioside-luteinizing hormone interaction induces conductance changes in lipid bilayers

Summary A specific interaction was demonstrated between GT₁ gangliosides incorporated in bilayer membranes and luteinizing hormone. This interaction would allow the penetration of a hormone subunit in the membrane. The results are discussed in terms of adenylate cyclase activation.     

Antigen-antibody interaction at specific binding sites: A mechanism involving iminazole

Résumé L'auteur propose un mode de liaison entre les molécules d'antigène et d'anticorps au moyen d'un centre réactif spécifique résultant de l'interaction d'un groupe récepteur carboxylique de l'antig`ene avec le groupe iminazole d'une unite particuli`ere histidine de l'anticorps. Plusieurs faits viennent done confirmer l'hypoth`ese selon laquelle nous suggérons une analogie entre les interactions antig`eneanticorps et les interactions de certains enzymes et de leurs substrats.