Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Doi
Abstract
In order to determine the function of molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) in vivo, we examined the effects of injecting of a recombinant MIH on the molt interval and hemolymph ecdysteroid level in the kuruma prawn, Marsupenaeus japonicus. The injection of recombinant MIH significantly prolonged the molt interval (9.0 ±0.4 days in the control group, 9.5±0.5 days in the 2500 ng/g-body weight/injection-group, meanSD), and significantly decreased the hemolymph ecdysteroid level (ratio of levels between after and before injection: 1.94±1.09 in the control and 1.28±0.39 in the 3000 ng/g-body weight/injection-group, mean±SD). These results conclusively show the inhibitory effects of MIH on molting in vivo
