Overview: Progress in Insect Neurochemistry

Abstract

ICINN-2 stands at a crossroads in the history of insect neurochemistry. Three years ago at the time of ICINN-1, there were only two structurally defined insect neuropeptides -- proctolin and the locust adipokinetic hormone, and the majority of neuroendocrine research was being performed using crude extracts of neurohemal organs. During the intervening three years, there have been nearly a dozen new hormone structures reported either completely or in part. At this meeting alone, there have been seven new hormone sequences described: four peptides that stimulate muscle contraction (leucokinins) (Cook et al.); one peptide that suppresses muscle contraction (leucomyosuppessin) (Holman et al.); a new hypertrehalosemic hormone (T. Hayes and Keeley) and the complete structure for one of the prothoracicotropic hormones (PTTH) of lepidoptera (Suzuki). In addition to these new hormones, other peptides were described as being near to structural definition. These include a diuretic hormone (Proux et al.), additional members of the adipokinetic-hypertrehalosemic hormone (AKH-HTH) family (Gade) and a pheromonotropic hormone (Jaffe et al.).