Hemolymph juvenile hormone binding protein (hJHBP) of Manduca sexta binds and transports juvenile hormone (JH) from the corpora allata to peripheral target sites. hJHBP, a product of the fat body, is rapidly up-regulated by physiological doses of JH I. We here report the isolation and characterization of the hJHBP gene including 12 kb of upstream region containing the putative proximal promoter and cis-acting elements. The open reading (0.8 kb) is derived from 5 exons that extend over 6.5 kb. We have identified the 5' untranslated regions of the gene and have examined the relationship between gene copy number and apparent allelic variation. Using computational tools, we identified several putative response elements upstream of the gene. Five insertion elements homologous to those reported in other insects were identified. These results provide important information that may be used in further examining the molecular mode of JH action and in developing reporter constructs vital to the search for JH-sensitive response elements.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Sphingidae Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm)
Keywords: JH, gene structure
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