Chemistry of Arthropod Secretions

描述（由申请人提供）：昆虫和其他陆生节肢动物占地球上所有已描述物种的一半以上。虽然这些物种中的大多数对人类生活没有直接影响，但有些是极其重要的疾病媒介（如采采蝇、按蚊、锥蝽、蜱虫等），有些已发展成为农业、森林和家庭害虫。此外，蜘蛛和它们的近亲具有特殊的药理意义，因为它们能够合成毒液，使猎物瘫痪。化学在节肢动物的生活中起着核心作用。该项目的目的是根据关键的生物因素阐明节肢动物化学，以改善人类健康和福利的方式。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Insects and other terrestrial arthropods make up over half of all described species on earth. Although the majority of these species have no immediate impact on human life, some are extremely important as disease vectors (i.e. tsetse fly, anopeheline mosquitoes, triatomine bugs, ticks ...), and some have developed into agricultural, forest, and household pests. In addition, spiders and their relatives are of particular pharmacological interest because of their ability to synthesize venoms capable of paralyzing their prey. Chemistry plays a central role in the lives of arthropods. The aim of this project is to elucidate arthropod chemistry based on critical, biorational considerations, in ways that should lead to the improvement of human health and welfare. In our experimental approach, we plan on developing the use of NMR spectroscopy for the initial study of bioactive samples obtained from arthropod sources. With the ever-increasing sensitivity of NMR spectrometers, and the remarkable power of multidimensional analytical techniques, it is now realistic to carry out useful NMR analyses even on complex mixtures such as those found in spider venoms, or in whole-insect-body extracts. Specifically, our plans include the search for novel neurotoxins in the venoms of spiders and scorpions; the synthesis of newly-discovered venom components for biological screening; the characterization of a predator-produced kairomone which inhibits mosquito oviposition; a search for new anti-insect agents from insect larvae and pupae; elucidation of the structures of new cardiotonic agents from fireflies. Our overall objectives are (1) to discover the chemical basis for important arthropod interactions, (2) to provide the basis for new control techniques applicable to disease vectors, and (3) to find from arthropod sources new biologically active chemotypes which may serve as lead compounds in drug development or vector control.