中文摘要：

鞣化激素是调控昆虫体壁黑化及翅伸展的一类激素， 是由BURS和PBURS两个亚基组成的一种异源二聚体蛋白质。BURS和PBURS亚基在结构及其进化上相对较为保守， 氨基酸序列中均含有11个半胱氨酸残基。鞣化激素主要是在胸腹神经节中合成的， 一旦释放到血淋巴就与其受体LGR2结合进而激活cAMP/PKA信号， 从而促进酪氨酸羟化酶（tyrosine hydroxylase, TH）的磷酸化。活化后的TH将酪氨酸（tyrosine）转变为多巴（DOPA）， 引起昆虫表皮鞣化。同时， cAMP/PKA信号也引起翅真皮细胞凋亡从而促进翅的伸展。除了鞣化激素异聚体调控表皮鞣化及翅的伸展外， BURS亚基或PBURS亚基组成的同源二聚体经IMD路径， 激活转录因子Relish调控昆虫的免疫反应。本文就鞣化激素分子结构特性、 作用机制及功能等方面的研究进展进行了综述， 旨在为进一步研究昆虫鞣化激素提供借鉴和参考。

英文摘要：

Bursicon, a kind of neuropeptide hormone, regulates insect cuticle sclerotization and wing expansion. Bursicon is a heterodimer protein which consists of two cystine knot proteins, BURS and PBURS. BURS and PBURS are conserved in structure and evolution, and the amino acid sequences of both contain 11 conserved cystines. Bursicon is synthesized by thorax and abdomen ganglions. Once released into hemolymph, bursicon binds with its receptor, LGR2, and then activates cAMP/PKA pathway, which activates tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） by phosphorylation. The activated TH transforms tyrosine into DOPA, resulting in insect cuticle sclerotization. At the same time, cAMP/PKA promotes apoptosis of wing hypodermal cells and causes wing expansion. BURS or PBURS homodimers also regulate insect immune reactions by activating the transcriptional factor Relish via IMD pathway. In this article, the progress in the molecular characteristics, molecular mechanisms and functions of bursicon was reviewed in order to provide a reference for further elucidating bursicon action in insects.