title: A bifunctional heterodimeric insect neuropeptide analog.
abstract: The synthesis and biological activity of a bifunctional, heterodimeric insect neuropeptide analog are described. The heterodimer is composed of the C-terminal pentapeptide active core regions of the leucokinin/achetakinin and pyrokinin neuropeptide families linked via their N-terminal amino groups with a succinyl diacid moiety. Members of the leucokinin/achetakinin family can induce fluid secretion in malpighian tubules of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, whereas the pyrokinins demonstrate activity in a cricket oviduct myotropic bioassay. No cross-activity is observed for the two neuropeptide families in these bioassays. However, the heterodimer elicits responses in both Acheta bioassays. Such a bifunctional analog may in future serve as a template for the design of stable, bifunctional pest insect control agents of greater efficiency.
authors: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Entomology Research Unit, College Station, TX.
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Nachman
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Coast
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Holman
authors: W F
authors: WF
authors: Haddon
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000187:drug effects; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000187:drug effects; D007300:Insect Control; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects*; D008317:Malpighian Tubules / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010057:Oviducts / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C079230:achetakinin; C079229:pyrokinin