A study of some acid hydrolases in the liver of the larval and adult lamprey

Summary The authors studied the behaviour of two acid hydrolases (phosphatase and proteinase) in the liver of the larval form (ammocoetes), of the starved larva, and of the adult lamprey (Lampetra zanandreai, Vladykov). In the homogenates of liver of ammocoetes in 0.25 M sucrose the enzymatic activities are largely sedimentable (phosphatase 67%; proteinase 56%). In the starved ammocoetes and in the adult lamprey the percentage of sedimentable activity gradually falls (phosphatase 46% and proteinase 52% in the starved ammocoetes; phosphatase 44% and proteinase 49% in the adult lamprey) whilst there is a corresponding gradual increase in free activity (phosphatase: from 24% in the normal ammocoetes to 39% in the starved ammocoetes and 50% in the adult lamprey; proteinase: from 25% in the normal ammocoetes to 35% in the starved ammocoetes and 54% in the adult lamprey). The action of detergent Triton X-100 causes an equal distribution of hydrolases activity in the three conditions of the liver.Only 25% of the sedimentable acid glycerophosphatase is accessible to the substrate in the ammocoetes, whilst in the starved ammocoetes and in the adult lamprey accessibility rises to 80%.The results we have discussed show that at metamorphosis and during fasting the lysosomes undergo such changes as to determine an actual intracellular release of the acid hydrolases studied.This work is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Giuseppe Zanandrea S. J., who greatly helped us with his advice.     

Sphingomyelinase activity in mother's milk is essential for juvenile development: a case from lactating tsetse flies

Sphingosine is a structural component of sphingolipids. The metabolism of phosphoethanolamine ceramide (sphingomyelin) by sphingomyelinase (SMase), followed by the breakdown of ceramide by ceramidase (CDase) yields sphingosine. Female tsetse fly is viviparous and generates a single progeny within her uterus during each gonotrophic cycle. The mother provides her offspring with nutrients required for development solely via intrauterine lactation. Quantitative PCR showed that acid smase1 (asmase1) increases in mother's milk gland during lactation. aSMase1 was detected in the milk gland and larval gut, indicating this protein is generated during lactation and consumed by the larva. The higher levels of SMase activity in larval gut contents indicate that this enzyme is activated by the low gut pH. In addition, cdase is expressed at high levels in the larval gut. Breakdown of the resulting ceramide is likely accomplished by the larval gut-secreted CDase, which allows absorption of sphingosine. We used the tsetse system to understand the critical role(s) of SMase and CDase during pregnancy and lactation and their downstream effects on adult progeny fitness. Reduction of asmase1 by short interfering RNA negatively impacted pregnancy and progeny performance, resulting in a 4-5-day extension in pregnancy, 10%-15% reduction in pupal mass, lower pupal hatch rates, impaired heat tolerance, reduced symbiont levels, and reduced fecundity of adult progeny. This study suggests that the SMase activity associated with tsetse lactation and larval digestion is similar in function to that of mammalian lactation and represents a critical process for juvenile development, with important effects on the health of progeny during their adulthood.     

南方鲇幼鱼和成鱼血液指标的比较

测定了南方鲇(Silurus meridionalis)幼鱼和成鱼部分血液生理及生化指标,结果表明,南方鲇幼鱼和成鱼血液中红细胞数量(RBC)、白细胞数量(WBC)、白细胞分类计数(DLC)、血红蛋白(Hb)、血糖(GLU)、总蛋白(TP)、胆固醇(CHOL)及甘油三酯(TG)二者差异不显著,在对幼鱼与成鱼做血液诊断时这些指标可以用同一个标准。成鱼血液中谷草转氨酶(GOT)活性显著高于幼鱼,而幼鱼血液中谷丙转氨酶(GPT)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性显著高于成鱼,幼鱼血液中氯离子(Cl-)浓度极显著高于成鱼,在对南方鲇幼鱼和成鱼做血液学诊断时需要设定不同标准。     

幼虫密度对马铃薯块茎蛾生长发育及繁殖的影响

室内观察了块茎中不同虫口密度(5、10、15、20、25、30头/块茎)对马铃薯块茎蛾Phthorimaea operculella(Zeller)生长发育、后代发育和繁殖的影响。结果显示:幼虫密度显著影响马铃薯块茎蛾的生长发育及繁殖。对其生长发育影响的结果表明:幼虫的发育历期(7.1～9.1d)、蛹的历期(8.8～9.9d)、雌雄成虫的历期(分别为6.4～12.9d,6.7～11.6d)随幼虫密度的增加而延长;幼虫存活率(70.3%～93.3%)、蛹的羽化率(69.8%～91.7%)随幼虫密度的增加显著下降;单头蛹重(9.2～11.4mg)、单雌产卵量(136.8～166.0粒)、成虫的雌∶雄比(0.54～2.17)随幼虫密度的增加而下降。对其后代发育及繁殖的影响的结果表明:卵的发育历期(3.0～4.4d)、幼虫的发育历期(6.2～10.8d)、蛹的历期(8.1～10.0d)、雌雄成虫的历期(分别为7.4～11.8d,6.6～10.5d)、世代发育历期(24.4～36.1d)随幼虫密度的增加而从延长;卵的孵化率(73.1%～79.0%)、幼虫存活率(55.0%～96.8%)、蛹的羽化率(63.3%～93.3%)、世代的存活率(25.6%～71.5%)随虫口密度的增加而下降;单头蛹重(8.9～9.9mg)、单雌产卵量(93.5～155.6粒)、成虫的雌∶雄比(0.45～2.20)随虫口密度的增加而下降;种群趋势指数(I)(7.44～76.43)随幼虫密度的增加而下降。马铃薯块茎蛾的饲养密度建议以1头/13.0～26.0g块茎为宜。     

Electron microscope studies of phosphatases in the small intestine of Rana temporaria during larval development and metamorphosis

Summary Changes in the ultrastructure, and distribution of phosphatases in the intestinal epithelium of Rana temporaria during development were consistent with other developmental changes. Alkaline phosphatase AMP-ase and ATP-ase were always associated with sites of absorption of foodstuffs into the cell. Initially, these were only the yolk platelets but at the onset of feeding the brush border lateral wall, membranes and associated absorption vesicles all became sites of activity. At metamorphosis when the larvae cease feeding, the enzyme activities decreased and became difficult to detect.In the early larval stages, acid phosphatase activity was confined principally to the lateral cell-wall membranes. This soon disappeared but was followed at metamorphosis by a dramatic increase in both the number of sites and their activity. In general, acid phosphatase appeared to be associated with areas of degeneration. The new epithelial cells which developed during metamorphosis appeared under the old epithelium. The cell debris from the larval epithelium was then expelled into the lumen of the intestine. The new epithelium contained sites of enzyme activity similar to those of the adult. Acid phosphatase was now present only in lysosome-like bodies and very sparsely on the brush border.These results are discussed in relation to dietary and structural changes. It is suggested that the presence of the enzymes at any site can be related to and anticipate these changes, possibly under hormonal control.     

Larval population density affects female weight and fecundity in the dung beetle Aphodius ater

1. Competition for food at high densities during larval development leads to reduced adult weight in the northern temperate dung beetle Aphodius ater. 2. Analysis of female beetles caught in the field showed that numbers of eggs and total egg load per female were correlated positively with beetle size. 3. Female beetles reared at different population densities during larval development in the laboratory were analysed with regard to their lifetime fecundity and reproductive lifespan. 4. High population densities during development had a negative influence on the number of eggs per female and on reproductive lifespan. Lifetime fecundity was correlated positively with female weight. 5. It was concluded that competition during larval development in the first generation of offspring will result in a lower number of offspring in the second generation in Aphodius ater, and thereby reduce parental fitness.     

Low molecular weight acid phosphatase/phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase in the developing chick brain: partial characterization and levels during development.

Low molecular weight acid phosphatase/phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase is largely expressed in chick brain tissue during development. The enzyme was purified from brain extract prepared from 19-day-old chick embryos and from adult chickens using ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and two DEAE-Cellulose ion-exchange chromatography steps. The purified enzymes from embryo and adult chick brains show identical molecular weight values (about 18-20 kDa) and biochemical and structural properties such as substrate specificity, sensitivity to inhibitors, and number of free reactive sulphydryl groups. These data suggest that they are the same enzyme protein. Although the total acid phosphatase activity does not change appreciably during development, the activity associated with the low molecular weight acid phosphatase/phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase markedly increases after birth and reaches the adult values within the first week of life. Taken together, our results suggest an involvement of the low molecular weight acid phosphatase/phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase in postnatal development and maturation of chick brain tissue. The variations in tyrosine phosphorylation profile of chick brain polypeptides analyzed by Western blotting at the same developmental stages are also reported.     

接种量对花绒寄甲繁殖的影响

释放花绒寄甲防治天牛已成为重要手段,而繁殖花绒寄甲时,接种花绒寄甲幼虫到大麦虫蛹体时,控制合适的接种量是提高花绒寄甲繁殖数量和质量的关键技术。本研究通过在替代寄主上人工接种不同数量的花绒寄甲幼虫,观察其发育情况及其子代数量、质量等指标,明确最佳接种量。结果表明：随着接种量的增加,花绒寄甲幼虫历期和蛹历期明显缩短,其中接种4头/个和6头/个,幼虫历期为13 d,蛹历期为33 d,而接种14头/个和16头/个时,幼虫历期短于12 d,蛹历期明显缩短为28~29 d。花绒寄甲结茧数随接种量增加而增加,接种数为16头/个时,结茧数最多,接近7个。花绒寄甲结茧率随着接种量增多而降低,4头/个时,结茧率最高为72.3%。接种量对花绒寄甲子代个体数量和大小均有显著影响,其中接种8头/个时,羽化数平均为4.3头,显著高于接种4头/个（羽化数平均为2.8头）,明显低于接种16头/个(羽化数平均为6.9头)。接种量为4头/个和6头/个时,子代成虫个体最大,单头重平均每头可达0.035 g,接种量为8头/个时,成虫单头重平均每头0.032 g左右,接种量达到16头/个时,单头重最轻,为0.023 g。对花绒寄甲羽化率无显著影响,7个处理下子代羽化率均较高,平均在94.4%~100%。接种量越少,更利于花绒寄甲的生长发育,当接种量为4头/个时,花绒寄甲成虫发育最好,其子代个体最大,但子代数较少。因此,利用大麦虫蛹繁育花绒寄甲种虫时,最佳接种量为4头/个,而需要规模化繁育花绒寄甲作为天敌使用时,综合考虑子代数量和质量以及经济成本,最佳接种量为8头/个。     

The induction of lysosomal enzyme activity in the fat body of Calliphora erythrocephala: Changes in the internal environment

The activity of the lysosomal marker enzyme acid phosphatase in the larval fat body of Calliphora erythrocephala increases during development, but not at the same rate throughout the tissue. During the feeding stage, the posterior region has a higher acid phosphatase activity than the anterior region. When the larvae cease feeding on the 5th day of development, the acid phosphatase activity of the inactive anterior lobe increases rapidly in a mosaic-cell pattern. When 4-day-old feeding stage larvae are starved, this increase occurs one day earlier than normally. After the emptying of the gut, the acid phosphatase activity of all the anterior cells both in normal and in starved larvae exceeds that of those in the posterior region.Transplantation experiments indicate that the induction of acid phosphatase activity in the fat body during normal development, especially in the anterior region, is caused by a change in the internal environment when the larvae cease feeding. Both RNA and protein synthesis are involved in this induction process. Inductive factors are present in 5-day-old larvae as well as during formation of the puparium. The competence of the feeding-stage fat cells to develop high acid phosphatase activity is acquired before the actual induction takes place.     

The epidermis and its degeneration in the larval tail and adult body of Rana temporaria and Xenopus laevis (Amphibia: Anura)

The tail epidermis of the larva and the body epidermis of adults of Rana temporaria and Xenopus laevis are described in terms of electron microscopy.
The activity of lysosomes (determined by the localization of acid phosphatase) in relation to autolysis and the process of cellular cornification, is considered during the periods of climactic disappearance of the larval tail and skin sloughing of adults. The results obtained generally correspond for both genera.
Larval tail epidermal cells completely disappear at metamorphic climax; those of the adult, which are shed, are replaced throughout life after each periodic sloughing. Nevertheless the mechanisms of their epidermal cell loss are comparable, though the level of lysosomal activity in larval tail epidermal cells is higher than in the adult body epidermis. This higher activity of lysosomal enzymes may facilitate the heavy necrosis which ensues in the larval tail at metamorphic climax.     

Ultrastructure of the mushroom body: digestion during metamorphosis of Utterbackia imbecillis (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

Abstract. Larvae of the freshwater mussel Utterbackia imbecillis metamorphose to juveniles either during their attachment to a host fish, or in vitro in a culture medium. This transformation includes degeneration of larval structures and development of the juvenile morphology. Early in metamorphosis the cells comprising the larval mantle enlarge and project into the mantle cavity, forming a structure referred to as the mushroom body. Its cells, which are ultrastructurally very similar to digestive cells of adult bivalves, are involved in pinocytosis or phagocytosis of the larval adductor muscle and of tissue from the host fish that is enclosed between the larval shells. Ingested material is passed from pinosomes to heterophagosomes which in turn fuse with heterolysosomes, where final degradation of ingested material occurs. Acid phosphatase activity was detected in heterophagosomes and heterolysosomes of all animals examined. In larvae that metamorphosed in vitro , the apical cytoplasm of the cells of the mushroom body, and the extracellular spaces among them, also exhibited acid phosphatase activity. Larvae reared on a host fish accumulated substantial deposits of lipids and glycogen within larval mantle cells during metamorphosis, whereas larvae reared in vitro did not. The larval mantle cells which constitute the mushroom body appear to be the primary sites of intracellular digestion of the larval adductor muscle and host tissue during metamorphosis.     

Life-history responses of larviparous Boettcherisca formosensis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) to larval competition for food, including comparisons with oviparous Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Calliphoridae)

Abstract. 1 The effect of larval rearing density on life-history parameters of Boettcherisca formosensis Kirner & Lopes (Sarcophagidae) was investigated. Increases in rearing density resulted in lowered larval survivorship, shortened larval development time and production of smaller, shorter-lived adults with reduced fecundity.
2. B. formosensis is larviparous. Average brood size was 17.5±1.0 (mean±M) larvae, which was much less than the average number of mature larvae inside gravid females. Females apparently produced a series of small broods, distributing their offspring over a number of carcasses.
3. Compared with the oviparous species Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann) (Calliphoridae), B. formosensis adults were larger and longer-lived, with a longer larval development time but shorter larval feeding period. However, females had a shorter pre-reproductive period, were less fecund, and had a lower life time reproductive investment.
4. B. formosensis had lower relative performance (measured by the composite index of performance, r') than H. ligurriens over the larval rearing density range, and was more sensitive to increases in density. Although the r' values suggest that the sarcophagid may be a competitively inferior species, other features which are not included in the index (such as larvipary, short larval feeding period and spreading of offspring from a single brood among carcasses) may be of significant adaptive value to B. formosensis.     

Changes in the activity of different classes of enzymes in the cerebral cortex of rats in ontogeny and after the transplantation of embryonic nerve tissue

The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), indophenol oxidase, aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT), alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and aldolase at different stages of rat development was measured. We have also determined changes in the activity of these enzymes resulting from transplantation of embryonic nerve tissue (ENT) into the brain of adult animals. During development from the embryo to the adult animal, LDH and AsAT activities increased, while alkaline phosphatase activity diminished. After ENT transplantation, the most prominent changes were in the alkaline phosphatase activity whereas the activity of LDH, AsAT and acid phosphatase remained unchanged and similar to that in the brain cortex of intact adult animals. Changes in the enzyme activity resulting from ENT transplantation changed in a manner characteristic of the transplant. Local brain damage did not change the activity of the studied enzymes fifty days after surgery.     

The contribution of the fatbody to RNA and ribosomal changes during development of the blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala (Meig)

The initiation of blowfly metamorphosis is associated with a pronounced decrease in the number of larval ribosomes; this reduced number then remains constant throughout pharate adult development. Ribosomal RNA accounts for most of the total RNA in larvae shortly after the cessation of feeding and growth, but thereafter the amount of rRNA declines disproportionately to total RNA until early pharate adult development; thereafter, the ratio remains constant until adult emergence. Larval fatbody ribosomes, which constitute about half of the total in the entire organism, are destroyed in situ prior to pupariation. The progressive decrease in fatbody rRNA is accompanied by a corresponding increase in a degraded, relatively insoluble 4–7 S nucleic acid which, stored until adult emergence when it is discarded, accounts for the disparity between total RNA and rRNA. The extracellular ribosomes previously observed during pharate adult development are thus derived from dissolution of larval tissues other than fatbody.     

Interactions between the egg and larval parasitoids of a gall-forming midge and their impact on the host

1. The gall‐forming midge Rhopalomyia californica was exposed experimentally to parasitism and predation during only the egg stage, during only the larval stage, during neither stage, or during both stages. 2. The combined action of natural enemies that attack during both the egg stage and the larval stage led to the lowest number of midges and total insects (midges + parasitoids) in the next generation, and the highest percentage parasitism. 3. The larval parasitoid killed a large fraction of hosts without producing new parasitoid offspring, while there is some indication that the egg parasitoid on its own tended to produce the most parasitoid offspring. The contrasting implications of host mortality versus parasitoid production for biological control are discussed. 4. Exposure to larval parasitoids resulted in a reduction in the number of egg parasitoid offspring produced, but exposure to the egg parasitoid did not affect the number of larval parasitoid offspring produced significantly.     

Relationship between adult and larval host plant selection and larval performance in the generalist moth, Trichoplusia ni

Adult oviposition preferences are expected to correlate with host plant suitability for the development of their offspring. For most lepidopteran species, this is particularly important as the hatching neonate larvae of many species are relatively immobile. Thus, the site of oviposition chosen by a female adult can greatly influence the probability of survival for her offspring. In the present study, we investigated the oviposition preference of adult Trichoplusia ni moths for six plant species to determine whether they could accurately rank the suitability of the plants for larval development. We also compared oviposition preferences to neonate larval acceptance and preference to determine whether the adult host range matched that of larval diet breath. Our results indicate that in two-choice and no-choice tests adult T. ni were able to rank the plants accurately, with the exception of anise hyssop. However, when given a choice of all six plants together, they laid more eggs on a plant that was not suitable for larval survival. Larvae accepted and fed on all plants in no-choice tests, and accurately ranked them according to larval performance. We conclude that neonate larvae are better able than adults to rank plants according to larval performance, and that larval diet breadth is wider than the range of plants accepted by adults. We also provide a discussion of the reduced accuracy of adult oviposition preference with increased plant choices.     

Is a mango just a mango? Testing within-fruit oviposition site choice and larval performance of a highly polyphagous fruit fly

For fruit flies, fully ripe fruit is preferred for adult oviposition and is superior for offspring performance over unripe or ripening fruit. Because not all parts of a single fruit ripen simultaneously, the opportunity exists for adult fruit flies to selectively choose riper parts of a fruit for oviposition and such selection, if it occurs, could positively influence offspring performance. Such fine scale host variation is rarely considered in fruit fly ecology, however, especially for polyphagous species which are, by definition, considered to be generalist host users. Here we study the adult oviposition preference/larval performance relationship of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), a highly polyphagous pest species, at the “within-fruit” level to see if such a host use pattern occurs. We recorded the number of oviposition attempts that female flies made into three fruit portions (top, middle and bottom), and larval behavior and development within different fruit portions for ripening (color change) and fully-ripe mango, Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae). Results indicate that female B. dorsalis do not oviposit uniformly across a mango fruit, but lay most often in the top (i.e., stalk end) of fruit and least in the bottom portion, regardless of ripening stage. There was no evidence of larval feeding site preference or performance (development time, pupal weight, percent pupation) being influenced by fruit portion, within or across the fruit ripening stages. There was, however, a very significant effect on adult emergence rate from pupae, with adult emergence rate from pupae from the bottom of ripening mango being approximately only 50% of the adult emergence rate from the top of ripening fruit, or from both the top and bottom of fully-ripe fruit. Differences in mechanical (firmness) and chemical (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total non-structural carbohydrates) traits between different fruit portions were correlated with adult fruit utilisation. Our results support a positive adult preference/offspring performance relationship at within-fruit level for B. dorsalis. The fine level of host discrimination exhibited by B. dorsalis is at odds with the general perception that, as a polyphagous herbivore, the fly should show very little discrimination in its host use behavior.     

Female Oviposition Decisions and Their Impact on Progeny Life-History Traits

An important factor affecting the life-history of an organism is parental investment in reproduction: reproductive decisions are almost invariably costly. Therefore, reproductive decisions should be beneficial in terms of increased offspring number or fitness. For example, egg laying decisions in many insects can influence resource availability of the offspring through changes in the larval density, and resource availability will have effects on many life-history traits. Here we studied whether female reproductive decisions affect offspring fitness in Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles. Females laid more eggs on black-eye beans than on mung beans. However, when the difference in the surface area of the beans was accounted for, the number of eggs was not higher in black-eye beans. This together with the poisson distribution of eggs on each of the bean types suggests that females tend to lay their eggs randomly. We found that development time was longer, larval mortality lower and adult survival higher in black-eye beans. We also found interactions between bean type and larval density on size of the offspring such that in mung beans the emergence mass and pronotum width decreased with increasing larval density, but in black-eye beans larval density did not affect the size measures. We conclude that when there is a risk that larval denisty will become high within a bean and there is variable resources available, there exist clear benefits that females might obtain by choosing black-eye beans as a resource for their offspring. However, in contrast to many earlier studies, our results suggest that females may not be making any active oviposition decisions. Therefore, to unequivocally determine whether females do capitalise the potential benefits by active decision making, some further experimentation is required.     

Effects of AET and MEA on the lysosomal hydrolase activities in the mouse organs.

The adult male Swiss mice were injected intraperitoneally with AET (2-aminoethylisothiouronium Br.HBr) or MEA (cysteamine HCl), in a toxic dose of 400 mg/kg body weight. The acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2) and arylsulphatase (E. C. 3.1.6.1) activities in crude homogenates of liver and kidneys were assessed every fourth hour throughout a 24-h period. Different patterns of temporal changes in the acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase activities in liver and kidneys expressed in nkat per 1 mg of protein, 1 g of fresh tissue and per the whole organ weight, were found. The extent and timing of the alterations in the activity of each of the lysosomal hydrolases were dependent on the particular organ chosen and aminothiol compound given.     

Reproductive strategy as a major factor determining female body size and fertility of a gregarious parasitoid

The generally known “adult size‐fitness hypothesis” (ASFH) is applied to the gregarious parasitic wasp Anaphes flavipes (Foerster, 1841) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae). ASFH is dependent on the reproductive strategy of the mother, which means the larger females have more offspring compared to smaller females. Two main factors, the mother's body size and food quantity received during larval development, can affect the body size of the offspring. For the first time, we present a study on the relative effect of both factors on fitness of the same species, wasp A. flavipes. Our data confirmed that females of A. flavipes with larger body sizes had more offspring compared to smaller ones. At the same time, mother's body size does not seem to affect the body size of the offspring. The other studied factor, quantity of food received during larval development, can be influenced by reproductive strategy (number of parasitoids developing in one host egg), host quality or the duration of development. We found only the reproductive strategy to have a statistically significant effect on body size. We demonstrated that the variable reproductive strategy (VRS) of wasp A. flavipes causes a plasticity in body size and future number of offspring. The generally known “trade‐off” scheme (more small offspring or fewer bigger offspring) does not apply to A. flavipes, because their large females have more offspring and it is their reproductive strategy that determines body size.