Abstract
Tyrosine is transaminated to para-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid, decarboxylated to para-hydroxyphenethylamine (tyramine), and hydroxylated to dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) by crude homogenates of freshly ecdysed American cockroaches. Dopa is further decarboxylated to dihydroxyphenethylamine (dopamine) which is subsequently acetylated to N-acetyldopamine. Tyramine is acetylated to N-acetyltyramine, and these two N-acetyl derivatives are postulated to be the precursors of the sclerotization quinones. The addition of purified bursicon preparations to each of the reaction mixtures fails to accelerate or inhibit. This suggests that cockroach bursicon does not exert a direct effect on the synthesis of the two N-acetyl derivatives.
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