THE DISTRIBUTION AND RELATIVE POTENCY OF DIURETIC PEPTIDES IN THE HOUSE CRICKET, ACHETA-DOMESTICUS

ABSTRACT Dose‐response curves are presented for the diuretic activity in aqueous extracts of brain, retrocerebral complex, and ventral nerve cord ganglia from Acheta domesticus. Diuretic activity is highest in extracts of brain and corpora cardiaca. In comparison with such extracts, those of the suboesophageal ganglia and thoracic ganglia I‐III produce truncated responses, whilst abdominal ganglia 1–4 show evidence of an inhibition of the diuretic response at high doses. ED50 values, obtained from Hill plots, are similar for extracts of brain, corpora cardiaca, corpora allata, and abdominal ganglia, but are 3–4 times higher for extracts of suboesophageal and thoracic ganglia. Separation of aqueous extracts of corpora cardiaca by reversed‐phase HPLC yields a number of fractions which stimulate fluid secretion in isolated tubules. Diuretic activity in these fractions is destroyed by treatment with Pronase E, and on this basis is identified as peptidic. In general, diuretic activity is found in the same RP‐HPLC fractions prepared from aqueous extracts of brain, suboesophageal ganglia, thoracic ganglia I‐III, and abdominal ganglia 1–4. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved