DAVID A. SCHOOLEY
ProfessorOffice: (775) 784-4136 Lab: (775)
784-4126
Email:
schooley@unr.edu
Location:
Howard Medical Science, Office 160
Personal Web: http://www.ag.unr.edu/Protein/
Education
B.Sc. Biochemistry, 1963 New Mexico Highland University
Ph.D. Biology, 1968 Stanford University
Major Academic Interest
Insect growth and development differs from that of mammals, and the hormones controlling this development usually have no counterpart in vertebrates. Two juvenile hormones were identified in 1967-68; they have one and two more carbon atoms than conventional sesquiterpenoids, and are formed by unique biochemical pathways. From a practical perspective, synthetic juvenile hormone analogues were introduced commercially by Zoecon Corporation as highly specific and safe insecticides in 1975.
My group identified four of the six known insect juvenile hormones and a related juvenile hormone from crabs. We have studied how insects create these biosynthetically unique molecules. We found that the "extra" carbon atoms in these molecules comes from propionate, which is converted to homologs of normal terpene precursors. The glands producing these hormones vigorously metabolize the amino acids valine and/or isoleucine to a derivative of propionate. Production or transport of this unit may control the type of juvenile hormone made.
My interests also include the identification and biochemistry of insect peptide hormones which control a variety of processes. Recently we have identified a number of insect peptide hormones controlling metabolic functions (blood sugar levels), water balance and excretion (diuretic hormones), and insect metamorphosis (allatotropin, allatostatin, and eclosion hormones). Insect peptide hormones may form the basis for additional new insect control agents.
Course Information