A pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) hormone that controls sex pheromone production in female moths was identified from the brain-subesophageal ganglion complexes of the adult corn earworm, Heliothis zea. PBAN has 33 amino acid residues and a molecular weight of 3900. Its amino acid sequence has no significant homology with any of the fully characterized peptide hormones. The synthetic peptide, at a dose of between 2 and 4 picomoles, induced production of a normal quantity of sex pheromone in ligated H. zea females. The peptide also induced pheromone production in six other species of moths, thus indicating that this or similar peptides may be responsible for the regulation of pheromone production in moths.

Sex pheromone production in the female corn earworm moth Heliothis zea is controlled by a hormonal substance produced in the female's brain. It is present in the brain in scotophase as well as photophase, but it is released into the hemolymph to stimulate pheromone production only in the scotophase. The stimulatory activity was also detected in the brains of male corn earworm moths and of other moths.

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