Juvenile Hormone-Specific Epoxide Hydrolyase: Regulation and Characterization

斯库利博士将研究一种名为JH特异性环氧化物水解酶(JHEH)的酶，这种酶被认为在调节昆虫体内的保幼激素(JH)水平方面起着重要作用。昆虫体内的JH水平被认为在一定程度上受到激素降解率的控制。一种学说认为，包括飞蛾和蝴蝶在内的昆虫化蛹所需的JH水平的下降主要是由于JH特有的酯酶。他有初步证据表明JHEH至少与酯酶一样重要，如果不是更重要的话。他将对活昆虫和昆虫提取物中的这种酶进行表征，以了解其在控制JH水平方面的重要性。他将通过研究JH代谢作为发育的函数，以及研究不同种类JH的代谢率来做到这一点。他将确定分离的纯酶的蛋白质序列的一部分，然后分离编码该酶的基因的分子克隆，以确定该酶的完整序列。他还将通过研究编码酶的信使RNA的水平来测试酶水平是如何控制的。

Dr. Schooley will study an enzyme, called JH-specific epoxide hydrolase (JHEH), thought to be important in regulating juvenile hormone (JH) levels in insects. JH levels in insects are believed to be controlled partly by the rate of hormone degradation. A dogma has developed that the drop in JH level required for pupation of insects including moths and butterflies is due mainly to the JH- specific esterase. He has preliminary evidence that JHEH is at least as important as the esterase enzyme, if not more so. He will characterize the enzyme in live insects and in insect extracts to gain an understanding of its importance in controlling JH level. He will do this by studying JH metabolism as a function of development and by studying the rate of metabolism of different kinds of JH. He will determine portions of the protein sequence of the pure, isolated enzyme, and then isolate a molecular clone of the gene encoding the enzyme in order to determine the complete sequence of the enzyme. He will also test how enzyme levels are controlled by studying the levels of messenger RNA coding for the enzyme.