Characterization of hexamerin proteins and their mRNAs in the adult lubber grasshopper: The effects of nutrition and juvenile hormone on their levels

    Authors

    M. Hathaway; J. Hatle; S. Li; X. Ding; T. Barry; F. Hong; H. Wood;D. Borst

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A-Mol. Integr. Physiol.

    Keywords

    Hexamerins; cDNA; Lubber grasshopper; Diet; Hemolymph protein; Fat body; INSECT STORAGE PROTEINS; LOCUSTA-MIGRATORIA; EGG-PRODUCTION; HEMOLYMPH; VITELLOGENIN; REPRODUCTION; EVOLUTION; METAMORPHOSIS; PLASTICITY; LARVAE; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Physiology; Zoology

    Abstract

    The lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera) has three major hemolymph proteins with apparent sizes on native PAGE of 90, 270, and 500 kDa and subunit sizes (79, 81 and 82 kDa respectively) determined by SDS-PAGE. Trypsin fragments from each protein band were sequenced, used to design degenerate primers to amplify core cDNA fragments, which were extended by 5' and 3' RACE. All three cDNAs were closely related to insect hexamerins, had an N-terminal signal sequence, and their transcripts were found solely in the fat body. Adult females fed an ad libitum diet had their highest hexamerin levels on day 18 when oocytes begin rapid growth. Hexamerin levels fell as oocytes reached their maximum length on day 30. Animals fed a restricted diet had their highest hexamerin levels on day 30 which then fell as oocytes reached their maximum length on day 36. Hexamerin mRNA levels were only modestly different for animals on the two diets, indicating that nutrition affected translation of the hexamerin mRNA. Allatectomized animals treated with juvenile hormone III (JH) or methoprene caused the appearance of vitellogenin in the hemolymph, but had no effect on hexamerin levels. Thus, JH does not appear to directly regulate hexamerin production. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology a-Molecular & Integrative Physiology

    Volume

    154

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2009

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    323

    Last Page

    332

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000270770300006

    ISSN

    1095-6433

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