Fig.1.

Chemical structures of JH and inhibitors of JHE. Six major forms of JH have been identified that possess an α,β-unsaturated methyl ester at one end of the molecule and an epoxide at the other (A). A JH with an epoxide moiety in place of the α,β-double bond (B) has also been identified in a heteropteran insect. Phosphoramidothiolates such as O-ethyl-S-phenyl phosphoramidothiolate (EPPAT) (C) and trifluoromethyl ketone (TFK) containing compounds (D) are potent inhibitors of JHE.