Allatostatic and allatotropic factors in the brain of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria.

A polyclonal antibody against allatostatin-5 (Dip-AST 2) of Diploptera punctata was used to demonstrate allatostatin-like material in the brain of Schistocerca gregaria. Immunoreactivity was found in cells of the pars lateralis and in axons running to the corpus allatum (CA). A methanolic brain extract of 7000 brains was fractionated by HPLC on a reversed phase C18 column. Using a sensitive juvenile hormone biosynthesis bioassay, we detected several fractions that influence juvenile hormone synthesis by the corpora allata of the cockroach Diploptera punctata. Four fractions have strong allatostatic activity and three fractions have allatotropic activity.