Juvenile hormones (JHs) are a group of
structurally related sesquiterpenes secreted by the
insect corpora allata. They affect most insect
life-cycle stages and physiological functions, including
embryogenesis, larval and adult development,
metamorphosis, reproduction, metabolism, diapause,
polyethism, and migration. Juvenoids such as methoprene,
hydroprene, kinoprene, pyriproxyfen, and fenoxycarb are
man-made chemicals that mimic the structure and/or
activity of JHs, selectively targeting and disrupting
the endocrine system of insects. They are particularly
suited as larvicides for the control of pest and disease
vectoring insects such as mosquitoes.
Juvenile
Hormones and Juvenoids: Modeling Biological Effects and
Environmental Fate discusses the various modeling
approaches that can be used to study the mechanism of
action of JHs in insects and to estimate the adverse
effects and the environmental fate of the juvenoids that
mimic their activity. This book is the third of
the QSAR in Environmental and Health Sciences
series, but the first dedicated to the use of QSAR and
other in silico techniques to provide these
insights into JHs and their analogs. With
contributions by an international team of scientists,
the book begins with a historical survey of JHs and
juvenoids. It then discusses biosynthesis of
sesquiterpenoids followed by chapters covering JH
activity such as morph-specific JH titers in crickets,
and JH analog activity including soldier-specific organ
development in termites and the role of methoprene in
gene transcription. The book examines modeling
approaches applied to resistance to JH analogs, to
population dynamics of nontarget species in the presence
of juvenoids, and to SAR and QSAR of JH mimics. The book
concludes with a discussion on the use of multicriteria
analysis for selecting insecticides for vector
control.
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