The identification and titres of conjugated and free ecdysteroids in developing ovaries and newly-laid eggs of Schistocerca gregaria

Ecdysteroid levels throughout ovarian development and in newly-laid eggs of S. gregaria have been determined. A simple method for the separation of free and conjugated ecdysteroids is described. Both free and polar conjugated ecdysteroids are present at the end of oögenesis and in newly-laid eggs, but the polar conjugated ecdysteroids always predominate; 95% of the total ecdysteroid in newly-laid eggs is in the conjugated form. Ecdysone, 2-deoxyecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone have been fully characterized from both the ‘free’ and ‘conjugated’ fractions. The presence of traces of 26-hydroxyecdysone in the ‘conjugate’ fraction was indicated by HPLC analyses. The levels of ecdysteroid released from the conjugates of newly-laid eggs were 35 μg/egg pod (44 μg/g wet weight) for ecdysone, 16 μg/egg pod (19.4 μg/g) for 2-deoxyecdysone and 5 μg/egg pod (6.1 μg/g) for 20-hydroxyecdysone. The level of free ecdysone found in newly-laid eggs was 2 μg/egg pod (2.6 μg/g).