Insect hormones

Ecdysone is a prohormone of the major insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone, secreted from the prothoracic glands. It is of steroidal structure. Insect molting hormones (ecdysone and its homologues) are generally called ecdysteroids. Ecdysteroids act as moulting hormones of arthropods but also occur in other related phyla where they can play different roles. In Drosophila melanogaster, an increase in ecdysone concentration induces the expression of genes coding for proteins that the larva requires. It causes chromosome puffs (sites of high expression) to form in polytene chromosomes. Recen

class of chemical compounds

20-Hydroxyecdysone (ecdysterone or 20E) is a naturally occurring ecdysteroid hormone which controls the ecdysis (moulting) and metamorphosis of arthropods. It is therefore one of the most common moulting hormones in insects, crabs, etc. A phytoecdysteroid produced by and extracted from various plants, including Cyanotis vaga, Ajuga turkestanica and Rhaponticum carthamoides, it is thought to be a plant defense against herbivory that disrupts the reproduction of insect pests. In arthropods, 20-hydroxyecdysone acts through the ecdysone receptor. Although mammals (including humans) lack this recep

thumb|right|200px|Chemical structures of ecdysteroids, ecdysone (top) and [[20-hydroxyecdysone]] Ecdysteroids are arthropod steroid hormones that are mainly responsible for molting (ecdysis), development and, to a lesser extent, reproduction; examples of ecdysteroids include ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysterone), turkesterone and 2-deoxyecdysone. These compounds are synthesized in arthropods from dietary cholesterol via the Halloween family of cytochrome P450 enzymes.

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