# US 5,344,821 A · Pheromonostatic peptide used to disrupt mating of the corn earworm, helicoverpa zea

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- Number: US 5,344,821 A
- Document ID: US5344821A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/068,038
- Filed: 1993-05-28
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-05-28
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
- Inventors: Timothy G. Kingan; Ashok K. Raina
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344821A

## CPC

- A01K 67/33: Earthworms (genetically modified worms A01K67/63)
- C07K 14/43563: {from insects}
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00)

## Abstract

A polypeptide having the property of rendering a female Helicoverpa zea moth non-receptive to mating was isolated from the reproductive tract of the male moth. The peptide is transferred from the male to the female during mating and causes a depletion of the female sex pheromone thereby resulting in a decline in sexual attractiveness for at least 24 hours. The peptide is referred to as pheromonostatic peptide, or PSP. It is a basic peptide having 57 amino acid residues, a molecular weight of 6617 daltons and contains one pair of cysteine residues in a disulfide linkage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence: ##STR2## where X is pyro-GLU and Y is a mixture of ASN and ASP, and effective analogs and derivatives thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polypeptide of claim 1 in an agriculturally acceptable carrier.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method of controlling Helicoverpa zea by administering effective amounts of the polypeptide of claim 1 to infested areas.