Molecular cloning and structural characterization of Ecdysis Triggering Hormone from Choristoneura fumiferana

•Full length cDNA of Choristoneura fumiferana ETH was cloned and expression profile was studied.•The 3D structure of CfETH peptide was modelled and validated.•Molecular dynamic simulations studies supported the stability of the peptide model.•HTVS was performed for the modelled peptide taking a library of insecticides to identify hit compounds.•Docking studies revealed that the compound-1 can be considered as a hit compound.

At the end of each stadium, insects undergo a precisely orchestrated process known as ecdysis which results in the replacement of the old cuticle with a new one. This physiological event is necessary to accommodate growth in arthropods since they have a rigid chitinous exoskeleton. Ecdysis is initiated by the direct action of Ecdysis Triggering Hormones on the central nervous system. Choristoneura fumiferana is a major defoliator of coniferous forests in Eastern North America. It is assumed that, studies on the ecdysis behavior of this pest might lead to the development of novel pest management strategies. Hence in this study, the cDNA of CfETH was cloned. The open reading frame of the cDNA sequence was found to encode three putative peptides viz., Pre-Ecdysis Triggering Hormone (PETH), Ecdysis Triggering Hormone (ETH), and Ecdysis Triggering Hormone Associated Peptide (ETH-AP). The CfETH transcript was detected in the epidermal tissue of larval and pupal stages, but not in eggs and adults. In order to explore the structural conformation of ETH, ab initio modelling and Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations were performed. Further, a library of insecticides was generated and virtual screening was performed to identify the compounds displaying high binding capacity to ETH.