The presence of a pregnenolone-binding factor in the copulatory organ of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides R. & F.

The presence of binding sites for nonecdysteroid steroids was investigated in the cytosol of several tissues of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides. Binding of androgens was not observed. Most tissues, however, showed nonsaturable binding of estrogens and in some tissues saturable progestin binding could be demonstrated. A pregnenolone binder, that was found to be present in the male copulatory organ, was further studied. It showed a dissociation constant of 4.4 (+/- 1.6) X 10(-8) M. This is the first report of a nonecdysteroid steroid-binding factor in an insect tissue.