Identification and functional characterization of allatostatin neuropeptides and their cognate receptors

管理加拿大林业和农业的虫害问题是加拿大的一个关键经济、健康和环境问题。 用更环保的生物处理取代当前的化学控制是基于对生物体生物学的了解。例如，昆虫在生长过程中如何从一种形态转变为另一种形态？ 是什么控制着雌性产卵的方式？ 来自大脑的化学信号如何控制成熟和繁殖。是什么控制着昆虫选择留在一个地方觅食还是长途旅行。是什么控制着生物体的年龄？所有这些问题的答案部分与称为激素的化学物质有关。具体来说，保幼激素（JH）负责使昆虫保持在年轻阶段。如果昆虫血液中的 JH 含量较高，则昆虫不会从一种形态转变为另一种形态（例如，毛毛虫不会转变为蝴蝶）。 如果雌性成虫体内存在 JH，卵子就会成熟。昆虫血液中的 JH 水平控制着昆虫的其他行为，例如迁徙和衰老。如果我们能够了解改变昆虫血液中 JH 水平所需的所有步骤，我们就可以抑制害虫的产卵，从而开发出一种对环境安全的昆虫控制剂。对高素质人员进行新的替代控制策略的培训对于这一事业至关重要。

Managing the insect pest problem in Canadian forestry and agriculture is a key economic, health and environmental issue for Canada. Replacing current chemical controls with more environmentally benign biological treatments is based on understanding the biology of the organism. For example, how do insects change from one form to another as they grow? What controls how females produce eggs? How do chemical signals from the brain control maturation and reproduction. What controls an insect's choice between staying in one location to feed or travel long distances. What controls the age of an organism? The answer to all of these questions is related, in part, to chemicals known as hormones. Specifically, juvenile hormone (JH) is responsible for keeping an insect in a young stage. If the amount of JH is high in an insect's blood, the insect will not change from one form to another (for instance, a caterpillar won't transform into a butterfly). If JH is present in female adults, eggs will mature. The level of JH in the insect blood controls other insect behaviours, such as migration and aging. If we could understand all the steps that are required to change the level of JH in the insect blood, we could inhibit egg production in insect pests, leading towards an environmentally safe insect control agent. Training of high quality personnel in new alternative control strategies is vital to this cause.