20-HYDROXYECDYSONE AND JUVENILE-HORMONE REGULATION OF SPECIFIC PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN THE MALE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE GLAND OF MELANOPLUS-SANGUINIPES UNDER IN-VITRO CONDITIONS

The effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) and juvenile hormone III (JH III) on polypeptide synthesis in the male accessory reproductive glands (MARG) of Melanoplus sanguinipes were examined under in vitro conditions during days 1-7 of adult development. Fluorographic analysis using [S-35]methionine or radiolabel counting using [H-3]leucine-tagged polypeptides was used to assay the hormone effects. It was found that when either hormone was given individually, it enhanced or inhibited the synthesis of some specific polypeptides, or caused the appearance of new polypeptides. For the great majority of polypeptides whose production was hormonally controlled, 20-HE and JH III had opposing effects. The effects of 10(-5) M and 10(-6) M 20-HE were also compared in vitro on MARG during days 9 and 10 of adult development. Though the effect of 20-HE was concentration-dependent in most instances, for a few polypeptides quite opposite effects were noted for the two concentrations of hormone. The observations are discussed in terms of the fluctuations in hormone levels during sexual maturation.