Seventeen species of the coleopteran series Cucujiformia are investigated for the presence and sequence of putative adipokinetic hormones (AKHs). Cucujiformia includes species from the major superfamilies, that is, Chrysomeloidea, Curculionoidea, Cucujoidea, and Tenebrionoidea. The clade Phytophaga in which the Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea reside, harbor very detrimental species for agriculture and forestry. Thus, this study aims not only to demonstrate the structural biodiversity of AKHs in these beetle species and possible evolutionary trends but also to determine whether the AKHs from harmful pest species can be used as lead substances for a future putative insecticide that is harmless to beneficial insects. Sequence analysis of AKHs is achieved by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Most of the investigated species contain AKH octapeptides in their corpora cardiaca, although previously published work also found a few decapeptides, which we comment on. The signature and sole AKH in cerambycidae Chrysomeloidea and Curculionoidea is Peram-CAH-I (pEVNFSPNW amide), which is also found in the majority of chrysomelidae Chrysomeloidea and in the one investigated species of Cucujoidea albeit in a few cases associated with a second AKH which can be either Peram-CAH-II (pELTFTPNW amide), Emppe-AKH (pEVNFTPNW amide), or Micvi-CC (pEINFTPNW amide). The most often encountered AKH in Tenebrionoidea, family Meloidae as well as family Tenebrionidae, is Tenmo-HrTH (pELNFSPNW amide) followed by Pyrap-AKH (pELNFTPNW amide) and a Tenmo-HrTH extended decapeptide (in Meloidae). Finally, we examine AKH sequences from 43 species of cucujiform beetles, including the superfamily Coccinelloidea for a possible lead compound for producing a cucujiform-specific pesticide.
Keywords: Phytophaga; adipokinetic peptides; beetle series Cucujiformia; mass spectrometry; pest insects; phylogeny; sequence elucidation; “green” insecticides.
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