Role of the Halloween genes, Spook and Phantom in ecdysteroidogenesis in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria

► Halloween genes involved in ecdysteroidogenesis in Lepidoptera and Diptera. ► Partial spo and phm orthologs cloned in the hemimetabolous desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. ► Q-RT-PCR study (spatial and developmental transcript profiling) was performed. ► RNAi-based approach to verify their orthologous role in S. gregaria. ► Sgpo and Sgphm are involved in ecdysteroidogenesis in S. gregaria.