Structure of locust adipokinetic hormone, a neurohormone that regulates lipid utilisation during flight.

Adipokinetic hormone, isolated from locust corpora cardiaca, has been identified as a blocked peptide: PCA-Leu-Asn-Phe-Thr-Pro-Asn-Trp-Gly-Thr-NH2. The detailed structure is based on mass spectrometric data, substantiated in part by dansyl-Edman and carboxypeptidase data on thermolytic fragments. This is the first peptide hormone from an insect neuroendocrine organ to be fully characterised.