Rl. Abernathy et al., INDUCTION OF PHEROMONE PRODUCTION IN A MOTH BY TOPICAL APPLICATION OFA PSEUDOPEPTIDE MIMIC OF A PHEROMONOTROPIC NEUROPEPTIDE, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 93(22), 1996, pp. 12621-12625
An amphiphilic analog of Locusta myotropin II (Lom-MT-II), Glu-Gly-Asp
-Phe-Thr-Pro-Arg-Leu-amide, was synthesized by addition of 6-phenylhex
anoic acid (6-Pha) linked through alanine to the amino terminus, This
pseudopeptide, [6-Pha-Ala(0)]Lom-MT-II, was found to have pheromonotro
pic activity equivalent to pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropept
ide when injected into females of Heliothis vivescens, Topical applica
tion of [6-Pha-Ala(0)] Lom-MT-II or Helicoverpa tea-pheromone biosynth
esis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide,
to the descaled abdomen of females induced production of pheromone, al
though more Hez-PBAN than [6-Pha-Ala(0)]Lom-MT-II was required to obta
in significant production of pheromone, Application of [6-Pha-Ala(0)]L
om-MT-II, dissolved in water, to the abdomen induced production of phe
romone, but neither Hez-PBAN nor Lom-MT-II dissolved in water stimulat
ed production of significant amounts of pheromone. Dose- and time-resp
onse studies indicated that application of the amphiphilic mimetic in
water induced pheromone production in as little as 15 min after applic
ation and that the effects were maintained for prolonged periods, Thes
e findings show that amphiphilic pseudopeptide mimics of insect neurop
eptides will penetrate the insect cuticle when applied topically in wa
ter and induce an endogenous response.