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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #287622
Title: Introduction of a neurohormone in the fire ants

Author
item Choi, Man-Yeon
item Vander Meer, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/16/2012
Publication Date: 9/28/2012
Citation: Choi, M.Y., Vander Meer, R.K. 2012. Introduction of a neurohormone in the fire ants. Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings. 28: 21-22.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Neuropeptides are the largest group of insect hormones, and are synthesized in the central and peripheral nervous systems. One neuropeptide family is the PBAN/pyrokinin family defined by a common FXPRLamide or similar amino acid fragment at the C-terminal end. Over the past years we have extended knowledge of the PBAN/pyrokinin family of peptides to ants, focusing mainly on the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. The fire ant is a well studied and good model as social insect. We introduce here our research to date on the molecular structure, diversity, and characterization of PBAN and additional peptides as well as determine the potential function and application of these peptides for fire ant control.