The cDNA of Helicoverpa armigera prophenoloxidase (PPO) was cloned by means of RT-PCR and RACE. The cDNA was 2 405 bp in length and contained an open reading frame (ORF) of 2 097 bp which encoded 698 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a high identity to the reported sequence of PPO2 from other insects and shared the typical structural features of PPO from other insects. The results of RT-PCR showed that PPO mRNA was expr...