The identification and biosynthesis of two juvenile hormones from the tobacco budworm moth (Heliothis virescens)

Brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata complexes from the tobacco budworm $\text{Heliothis virescens}$ produce both radiolabelled methyl (2E, 6E, 10Z)-10,11-epoxy-3, 11-dimethyl-7-ethyl-2, 6-tridecadienoate (JH I) and methyl (2E, 6E, 10Z)-10, 11-epoxy-3, 7, 11-trimethyl-2, 6-tridecadienoate (JH II) when cultured in medium containing L-[$\text{methyl}$−¹⁴C] methionine or sodium [1−¹⁴C] propionate. Degradative studies of the hormones derived from propionate show the specific incorporation of the latter into the homo-isoprenoid portions of these compounds.