Eur. J. Entomol. 94 (3): 361-368, 1997
Stick insect (Carausius morosus; Phasmatodea: Lonchodidae) brain extract contains multiple fractions with allatostatic activity
- N/A
A first attempt to purify inhibitors of juvenile hormone biosynthesis from extracts of brains of the Indian stick insect, Carausius morosus, is reported here. A heterologous bioassay in the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, was used throughout the study. Separation of a prepurified extract using C-18 reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) resulted in a broad zone with biological activity. Upon re-chromatography of each of six active regions on a wide-pore C-18 column, the material separated in distinct peaks of biologically active fractions. Introducing a third purification step (C-8 column) resulted in a total of 18 absorbance peaks with allatostatic activity. It remains to be seen whether all these fractions contain authentic allatostatins which are active in stick insects, or whether other functions can be attributed to them.
Keywords: Juvenile hormone, allatostatins, purification, HPLC, stick insect, Carausius morosus, brain extract
Accepted: February 24, 1997; Published: July 30, 1997 Show citation
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