THE ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF 3 DIURETIC KININS FROM THE ABDOMINAL VENTRAL NERVE CORD OF ADULT HELICOVERPA-ZEA

Three novel diuretic peptides have been isolated and identified from t he abdominal ventral nerve cord of the adult corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea. The peptides belong to the kinin family of myotropic and diureti c peptides and have the following sequences: YFSPWGamide, VRFSPWGamide , and KVKFSAWGamide. These peptides, which we refer to as the helicoki nins, are potent stimulators of secretion by the Malpighian tubules of Manduca sexta. All three of the helicokinins stimulated secretion by M. sexta tubules at concentrations below 10(-11) M. The helicokinins a re the first kinins to be identified from a lepidopteran, and the firs t diuretic peptides to be identified specifically from the abdominal v entral nerve cord of any insect.