Role of hormones in starvation-induced delay in larval hemolymph protein gene expression in Galleria mellonella

Developmental Northern analysis of larval hemolymph protein gene transcripts in Galleria mellonella showed that Lhp76 is expressed all through the larval life, while Lhp82 is expressed only during the last larval stadium. Neither transcript was detectable in pharate adults and adult moths. In additi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Roux's Archives of Developmental Biology 1988, Vol.197 (8), p.496-502
Main Authors: MEMMEL, N. A, APARNA RAY, ALAPATI KRISHNA KUMARAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene expression
Molecular and cellular biology
Molecular genetics
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Developmental Northern analysis of larval hemolymph protein gene transcripts in Galleria mellonella showed that Lhp76 is expressed all through the larval life, while Lhp82 is expressed only during the last larval stadium. Neither transcript was detectable in pharate adults and adult moths. In addition, these transcripts were not detectable during the first 48 h of the last larval stadium. Experimental analyses of the effects of the nutritional state and the hormonal levels of the last instar larvae on LHP gene expression suggests that the nutritional state of the larva has no direct effect, but nutrition acts through its effect on the hormone titers. Larvae starved after the first 24 h of the stadium and those fed on a non-protein diet produced both the transcripts on schedule on day 3. However, starvation during the first 24 or 48 h or feeding them on agar caused a marked delay in activation of Lhp82. These starved larvae pupated 4 to 12 days later than controls. Furthermore, JH titers in the starved larvae remain high even 5 days after ecdysis into the last instar. Prothorax-ligation of the starved and the starved-refed larvae accelerated production of the transcripts, thereby suggesting that the nutritional state does not directly affect LHP gene expression. Application of JH 1 to the ligated preparations resulted in selective blocking of Lhp82, while 20-OH ecdysone affected both the genes, thereby supporting the view that the insect hormones play an important role in stage-specific expression of LHP genes.
ISSN:0930-035X
1432-041X
DOI:10.1007/BF00385683