6533b854fe1ef96bd12ae849

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Pyrgomorphid grasshoppers of the genus Phymateus contain species-specific decapeptides of the AKH/RPCH family regulating lipid-mobilization during flight

subject

description

. Using heterologous and conspecific bioassays, two peptides have been isolated from methanolic extracts of corpora cardiaca from the pyrgomorphid grasshopper Phymateus morbillosus L.The structures of both peptides were elucidated by a combination of Edman degradation, after deblocking the N-terminal pyroglutamic acid residue, and mass spectrometric techniques.One peptide is an octapeptide (pGlu-Leu-Asn-Phe-Ser-Thr-Gly-TrpNH2) which also occurs in other insects and is code-named Scg-AKH-II.The second peptide is a novel decapeptide member of the AKH/RPCH family (pGlu-Leu-Asn-Phe-Thr-Pro-Asn-Trp-Gly-SerNH2 code-named here Phm-AKH.It is the first example of a different peptide in the same genus.The analysis of changes of metabolites in the haemolymph, fat body and flight muscles of male P.morbillosus during a 30 min flight and rest after flight reveal an overall picture of flight metabolism similar to that of Locusta migratoria. Carbohydrate-fuelled metabolism is pronounced during the first 15 min of flight, whereas lipid-based metabolism is mainly used thereafter.By analogy with work on L.migratoria, it is concluded that the endogenous peptides of P.morbillosus regulate these metabolic events.