Lipid mobilization, inhibitors

Structure-activity studies are an indirect method to investigate a possible interaction of AKH peptides with their receptor proteins. For various members of the AKH family a vast body of literature has accumulated, employing bioassays such as lipid mobilization in locusts and the tobacco hommoth Manduca sexta, carbohydrate mobilization in various cockroach species, the activation of phosphorylase in the larvae of M. sexta, or the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in the fat body of locusts [10, 33, 37, 53]. Contrary to most other invertebrate neuropeptides, the insect members of the AKH family do not have a core sequence which is essential for potency, however, the N-terminal pGlu residue and the C-terminal amide are important, as well as the aromatics at position 4 and 8. To achieve full efficacy, all amino acids are apparently important. There is also no superagonist found and also no inhibitor. 

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