Juvenile hormone-controlled synthesis of female-specific protein in the cockroach Leucophaea maderae

Abstract

Application of 1 μg of the all-trans methyl (±)-12,14-dihomojuvenate induces the de novo synthesis of a female-specific protein at a rate similar to that found in unoperated egg-maturing females. JH also appears to stimulate an increased synthesis of the non-sex-specific proteins. The female-specific protein is essential for egg maturation since it makes up 85–90% of the egg proteins. The exact role of the non-sex-specific proteins in egg maturation processes is not known. 12,14-Dihomojuvenate and 12-homojuvenate, the two naturally occurring JHs, have similar potencies in inducing the synthesis of female-specific protein. The 14-homojuvenate, not known to occur naturally, also has similar potency. Epoxyfarnesenic acid is 10–20 times less potent. The all-trans isomers of either of the two JHs appear to be 2–10 times more potent than the naturally occurring hormones, whereas the t,c,t-isomer of the 12,14-dihomojuvenate has no activity. The JHs possibly influence transcription of specific mRNA since application of actinomycin D (2 μg) simultaneously with JH completely blocked female-specific protein synthesis even when assayed 5 days later. Messenger for the specific female protein is relatively long lived (at least 3–4 days).