Co-Authors:
Feldlaufer, M.F., Insect and Nematode Hormone Laboratory USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, United States
Herbert, E.W., Jr., Beneficial Insects Laboratory USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, United States
Svoboda, J.A., Insect and Nematode Hormone Laboratory USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, United States
Thompson, M.J., Insect and Nematode Hormone Laboratory USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, United States
Abstract:
In an effort to determine the sterol precursor(s) of the 28‐carbon ecdysteroid, makisterone A, honey bee pupae (13 days post‐oviposition) were injected with radiolabeled sterols and subsequently examined for labeled ecdysteroids. High performance liquid chromatography of the pupal extracts revealed that [3H]campesterol was converted to a compound that behaved chromatographically identical to authentic makisterone A, and [14C]cholesterol was incorporated into a compound chromatographically like 20‐hydroxyecdysone. No incorporation of either 24‐[3H]methylenecholesterol or [14C]sitosterol into an ecdysteroid was observed. The neutral sterols of uninjected honey bee pupae contained 49.8% 24‐methylenecholesterol on a relative percent basis and, with three other C28 and C29 sterols, accounted for over 99% of the total sterols present. Copyright © 1986 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.