1. Ecdysteroids in developing ovaries and eggs of the tobacco hornworm
- Author
-
Gunter F. Weirich, James A. Svoboda, and Malcolm J. Thompson
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Invertebrate Hormones ,Sphingidae ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Ovary ,Biology ,Moths ,Biochemistry ,Lepidoptera genitalia ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Endocrinology ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Animals ,Molecular Biology ,Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ,Glucuronidase ,Ovum ,Pharmacology ,Ecdysteroid ,Hydrolysis ,beta-Glucosidase ,Organic Chemistry ,Embryogenesis ,Ecdysteroids ,Oocyte ,biology.organism_classification ,Lepidoptera ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,chemistry ,Female ,Ecdysone ,Hormone - Abstract
Ecdysteroids of ovaries and newly-laid eggs (0- to 1-hour-old) of the tobacco hornworm are present mainly as conjugates (greater than 95%). Newly-laid eggs contain ecdysteroid conjugates equivalent to 21 micrograms of 26-hydroxyecdysone and 0.73 micrograms of ecdysone per gram of eggs. These levels are similar in ovaries of 93-hour-old adult females. In 1- to 18-hour-old eggs more than 63% of the ecdysteroids exist in the free form and the proportion is similar in 48- to 64-hour-old eggs. The ratio of 26-hydroxyecdysone to ecdysone in the conjugated form remains constant during oocyte maturation and embryogenesis. Though 26-hydroxyecdysone is without molting hormone activity in the house fly assay, the exceptionally high concentration of 26-hydroxyecdysone conjugate(s) in ovaries and newly-laid eggs, together with the fact that it is being released during embryogenesis, indicate some physiological role for 26-hydroxyecdysone.
- Published
- 1984