Neuropeptide Control of Ecdysone Biosynthesis

Gilbert 9300164 Gilbert博士对一种机制的研究，通过这种机制，一种来自于雄性螳螂（Manduca sexta）大脑的激素作用于特殊的腺体（前胸腺），使这些腺体开始合成一种特殊的类固醇激素，一种外皮类固醇。蜕皮激素是导致昆虫蜕皮的激素。也就是说，脱掉外骨骼，这样它就可以生长了。它们还会引起变态，即毛毛虫变成蛹，然后变成成年蛾或蝴蝶的方式。脑神经激素的合成和释放是环境信号的结果，如光周期，如果昆虫要生存和成功，前胸腺的皮质激素的合成和释放必须非常精确。他正在研究这种肽激素与腺体相互作用的方法，即刺激一种化合物的合成，即第二信使，它反过来间接介导控制卵巢甾体形成的特定蛋白质的磷酸化（磷酸基的添加）。通过利用由单层同质细胞组成的前胸腺，他将最终深入了解肽激素诱导的类固醇形成的机制，而这在异质性更强的肾上腺中是不可能实现的。＊＊＊

Gilbert 9300164 The studies by Dr. Gilbert on the mechanism by which a hormone from the brain of the insect Manduca sexta acts upon specialized glands (prothoracic glands) to cause these glands to begin synthesizing a specific steroid hormone, an ecdysteroid. Ecdysteroids are hormones that cause the insect to molt. i.e. shed its exoskeleton, so that it can grow. They also elicit metamorphosis, i.e. the means by which a caterpillar is transformed into a pupa and then into an adult moth or butterfly. The brain neurohormone is synthesized and released as a result of environmental cues such as photoperiod and the synthesis and release of Ecdysteroids by the prothoracic glands must be extremely precise if the insect is to survive and be successful. He is studying the means by which this peptide hormone interacts with the glands, i.e. to stimulate the synthesis of a compound, a second messenger, which in turn indirectly mediates the phosphorylation (addition of a phosphate group) of specific proteins that control ecdysteroidogenesis. By utilizing the prothoracic glands which are composed of a single layer of homogeneous cells, he should ultimately gain insights into the mechanism of peptide hormone induced steroidogenesis that would not be possible with the more heterogeneous adrenal gland. ***