Collaborative Research on The Molecular Identification and Cellular Location of Bursicon, The Insect Cuticle Sclerotizing Hormone

昆虫神经激素法氏囊对昆虫外层角质层的形成是必不可少的。尽管在1935年被发现，但对它的行为仍然知之甚少。这个合作项目的主要目的是描述这种普遍存在的昆虫神经激素的编码基因序列。根据蟑螂法氏囊蛋白部分氨基酸序列设计简并引物，通过逆转录和聚合酶链式反应从信使RNA中扩增出法氏囊蛋白基因。此外，现有的来自其他昆虫的cDNA文库将用于筛选来自聚合酶链式反应的探针。对法氏囊蛋白全序列的了解将有助于识别法氏囊蛋白的活性部位及其受体。由于昆虫在外部“磨损”它们的骨骼，它们必须在生长或变质时定期剥离它们。在每个蜕皮周期中，必须合成新的角质层。荷尔蒙法氏囊一旦旧的角质层脱落，就会触发新角质层的硬化。肌腱硬化不仅提供保护，而且还为肌肉附着提供了一个框架，使其能够运动。显然，干扰法氏囊的释放或其行为将导致动物的死亡。这项研究将为通过干扰法氏囊的功能来进行生物害虫防治的新方法提供基础。

The insect neurohormone bursicon is essential for formation of the insecthard outer cuticle. Although discovered in 1935, bursicon and its actionhave remained poorly understood. The primary aim of this collaborative project is thecharacterization of the gene sequence coding for this ubiquitous insectneurohormone. Degenerate primers derived from several partial amino acidsequences of cockroach bursicon will be used to amplify bursicon cDNA frommessenger RNA by reverse transcription and PCR. In addition, existing cDNAlibraries from other insects will be used for screening with probes derivedfrom PCR. Knowledge of the full sequence of bursicon will facilitateidentification of the bursicon active site and its receptor.Because insects 'wear' their skeletons on the outside, they mustperiodically shed them as they grow or metamorphose. During each moltcycle, new cuticle must be synthesized. The hormone bursicon, triggers thehardening of the new cuticle once the old cuticle has been shed. Cuticularhardening provides not only protection, but also a framework for muscleattachment enabling locomotion. Clearly, interference with bursiconrelease or its actions will result in the death of the animal. Thisinvestigation will provide a basis for new methods of biological pestmanagement by disrupting the function of bursicon.