Vitellogenesis in the hematophagous Dipetalogaster maxima (Hemiptera: Rediviidae), a vector of Chagas´disease.

AGUIRRE, SA; FREDE, S; RUBIOLO, ER; CANAVOSO, LE

JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY

Elsevier- Science Direct

Lugar: Inglaterra; Año: 2008 vol. 54 p. 393 - 393

0022-1910

ocyte extracts of anautogenous Dipetalogaster maxima were chromatographed on an ion-exchange column in order to purify vitellin (Vt), the main insect yolk protein precursor. Purified Vt (Mr 443 kDa) was composed of four subunits with approximate molecular weights of 174, 170, 50, and 44 kDa. Polyclonal anti-Vt antibody, which cross-reacted equally with fat body extracts and hemolymph vitellogenin (Vg), was used to measure the kinetics of Vg expression in the fat body and the levels in hemolymph. In addition, morphological and immunohistochemical changes that took place in the ovary during vitellogenesis were analyzed. The study was performed between 2 and 8 days post-ecdysis and between 2 and 25 days post-blood feeding. During the post-ecdysis period, D. maxima showed decreased synthesis of Vg and concomitantly, low levels of Vg in hemolymph (4.5103 mg/ml at day 4). After a blood meal, Vg synthesis in the fat body and its levels in hemolymph increased significantly, reaching an