Nouvelles etudes sur les 3-déshydroecdystéroïdes dans la voie de biosynthese de I'ecdysone chez Locusta migratoria

AbstractProthoracic glands of the locust, Locusta migratoria, incubated in vitro, converted in the same manner 3-dehydroketodiol (14α-hydroxy-5β-cholest-7-en-3,6-dione) tritiated either on the side chain (22,23,24,25)3H4 or on the nucleus (1,2)3H2. Conversion products always appeared in two forms: one oxydized at C-3 corresponding with 3-dehydroecdysteroids, and the other corresponding with “classical” ecdysteroids which are usually obtained by conversion of keto-diol. All the different intermediate ecdysteroids between ketodiol and ecdysone are presents. A non-hemolymphatic reductase is conceivably responsible for the conversion of 3-dehydroecdysteroids at one or several places in the course of the biosynthetic pathway. Quantitatively the two forms (oxydized or hydroxylated at C-3) appeared in changeable ratios according to the different ecdysteroids but with a prevaling tendancy to 1:1. The specificity of the conversion from nucleus-tritiated-dehydroketodiol depended on an enormous production of polar d...