title: Identification and isolation of endogenous insect phenoloxidase inhibitors.
abstract: Inhibitors of phenoloxidase were identified in pupae of the housefly, Musca domestica L. The phenoloxidase inhibitors were purified from final instar pupae of the housefly by a combination of ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The potent phenoloxidase inhibitors were heat-stable low molecular weight peptides with an inhibition constant of nM range. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that endogenous phenoloxidase inhibitors have been identified among the insects, and probably also among the invertebrates. It is likely that the inhibitors play a central role in regulating the action of active phenoloxidases and will also serve as important tools for understanding the structures and functions of phenoloxidases, as well as their role in insect metamorphosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Saga University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichimaru
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanegae
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamaura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Funatsu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006793:Houseflies; D007700:Kinetics; D007814:Larva; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011679:Pupa
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010455:Peptides; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase