Adipokinetic hormones of the two extant apterygotan insect orders, Archaeognatha and Zygentoma.
Two extant apterygotan insect orders, Archaeognatha and Zygentoma, are investigated with respect to the identity of neuropeptides belonging to the adipokinetic hormone (AKH) peptide family; this is the first report on AKH peptide structures in the so-called primitive insects and the first of any peptide in the Archaeognatha. In the lepismatid, Thermobia domestica, and the machilid, Petrobius maritimus, a single AKH peptide is identified and sequenced from each species; neither sequence is novel and has previously been shown in corpora cardiaca (CC) of cockroaches (Peram-CAH-I) and dragonflies (Anaim-AKH), respectively. These octapeptides differ from each other only in one position (Asn(7) in the lepismatid and Ser(7) in the machilid). The biological relevance of these peptides was investigated and we speculate that they are likely involved in the mobilisation of lipids in the apterygotes. Immunocytochemistry with an antibody directed against an AKH revealed a well-developed pair of CC in T. domestica and another lepismatid, the fishmoth Ctenolepisma longicaudata; a cluster of immunopositive cells are located retrocerebrally in tissue sections of P. maritimus which may be the CC.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch ZA-7701, South Africa. Electronic address: heather.marco@uct.ac.za.
Heather G
HG
Marco
Biological Center, Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, CZ-37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Petr
P
Šimek
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch ZA-7701, South Africa. Electronic address: gerd.gade@uct.ac.za.
Gerd
G
Gäde
D000818:Animals; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007313:Insecta / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014199:Trehalose / Q000378:metabolism
D007301:Insect Hormones; D009842:Oligopeptides; C044833:adipokinetic hormone; D014199:Trehalose; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid
Adipokinetic hormone family; Archaeognatha; Immunocytochemistry; Mass spectrometry; Metabolism; Zygentoma