The controversial origin of the abdominal appendage‐like processes in immature insects: Are they true segmental appendages or secondary outgrowths? (Arthropoda hexapoda)

In this article, I review the major characteristics of different types of appendage‐like processes that develop at the abdominal segments of many immature insects, and I discuss their controversial morphological value. The main question is whether the abdominal processes are derived from segmental appendages serially homologous to thoracic legs, or whether they are “secondary” outgrowths not homologous with true appendages. Morphological and embryological data, in particular, a comparison with the structure and development of the abdominal appendages in primitive apterygote hexapods, and data from developmental genetics, support the hypothesis of appendicular origin of many of the abdominal processes present in the juvenile stages of various pterygote orders. For example, the lateral processes, such as the tracheal gills in aquatic nymphs of exopterygote insects, are regarded as derived from lateral portions of appendage primordia, homologous with the abdominal styli of apterygotan insects; these processes correspond either to rudimentary telopodites or to coxal exites. The ventrolateral processes, such as the prolegs of different endopterygote insect larvae, appear to be derived from medial portions of the appendicular primordia; they correspond to coxal endites. These views lead to the rejection of Hinton's hypothesis (Hinton [1955] Trans R Entomol Soc Lond 106:455–545) according to which all the abdominal processes of insect larvae are secondary outgrowths not derived from true appendage anlagen. J. Morphol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Isolation and characterization of highly purified mosquito oostatic hormone

Oostatic hormone, the hormone that inhibits vitellogenesis in mosquitoes, was purified 7,000-fold with a recovery of 70% from the ovaries of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. The purification procedure included heat treatment and chromatography on ion exchange and gel filtration columns. The hormone is a small peptidelike molecule of molecular weight 2,200 at pH 4.5, which aggregates into larger molecular species of trimer and octamer at pH 7.0 as determined by gel filtration. The hormone is positively charged at pH 7.8 and has a low Rf at pH 9.4 on disc gel electrophoresis. Injection of purified oostatic hormone (9 ng) into female mosquitoes inhibited yolk deposition and vitellogenin synthesis. Activity of the oostatic hormone in the mosquito ovary increased rapidly following blood feeding and reached a maximum after 48 h. Oostatic hormone of A. aegypti injected into autogenous Aedes taeniorhynchus inhibited egg development. Repeated injections of dilute oostatic hormone at 24 h intervals partially arrested egg development, resulting in 60% reduction in the number of eggs laid. This hormone does not block release of egg development neurosecretory hormone (EDNH) from the mosquito brain but rather appears to act on the ovary.     

Plasma FA composition in familial LCAT deficiency indicates SOAT2-derived cholesteryl ester formation in humans

Mutations in the LCAT gene cause familial LCAT deficiency (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man ID: #245900), a very rare metabolic disorder. LCAT is the only enzyme able to esterify cholesterol in plasma, whereas sterol O-acyltransferases 1 and 2 are the enzymes esterifying cellular cholesterol in cells. Despite the complete lack of LCAT activity, patients with familial LCAT deficiency exhibit circulating cholesteryl esters (CEs) in apoB-containing lipoproteins. To analyze the origin of these CEs, we investigated 24 carriers of LCAT deficiency in this observational study. We found that CE plasma levels were significantly reduced and highly variable among carriers of two mutant LCAT alleles (22.5 [4.0–37.8] mg/dl) and slightly reduced in heterozygotes (218 [153–234] mg/dl). FA distribution in CE (CEFA) was evaluated in whole plasma and VLDL in a subgroup of the enrolled subjects. We found enrichment of C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1 species and a depletion in C18:2 and C20:4 species in the plasma of carriers of two mutant LCAT alleles. No changes were observed in heterozygotes. Furthermore, plasma triglyceride-FA distribution was remarkably similar between carriers of LCAT deficiency and controls. CEFA distribution in VLDL essentially recapitulated that of plasma, being mainly enriched in C16:0 and C18:1, while depleted in C18:2 and C20:4. Finally, after fat loading, chylomicrons of carriers of two mutant LCAT alleles showed CEs containing mainly saturated FAs. This study of CEFA composition in a large cohort of carriers of LCAT deficiency shows that in the absence of LCAT-derived CEs, CEs present in apoB-containing lipoproteins are derived from hepatic and intestinal sterol O-acyltransferase 2.     

Biological effects of synthetic AKH in Manduca sexta and estimates of the amount of AKH in corpora cardiaca

Dose-response curves were measured with synthetic Manduca adipokinetic hormone (AKH) for glycogen phosphorylase activation in larvae and for lipid mobilization in adults. Both responses are known hormonal functions in Manduca sexta. In ligated larvae, full activation of glycogen phosphorylase was achieved with 0.1 pmol and half-maximal activation with 0.03-0.04 pmol. Maximal lipid mobilization in adults required 10 pmol and half-maximal mobilization 0.15 to 0.2 pmol, respectively. An estimate of AKH content of corpora cardiaca from M. sexta was gained by comparing the dose-response curves for synthetic Manduca AKH with curves from gland extracts. Corpora cardiaca extracts were also quantitated by high performance liquid chromatography. According to both estimates corpora cardiaca of adults contain 10-20 pmol AKH per pair, while a pair of larval corpora cardiaca contains 0.7-2 pmol.     

SC9-4和棕榈油的比较分析研究

SC_9-4是以植物油为原料研制成功的一种高速冷轧工艺润滑油。经武钢高速冷轧机轧制性能鉴定,它的高速轧制性能优于棕榈油。我们使用高效液相色谱比较分析鉴定了SC_9-4和棕榈油的甘油三酯组成。分析结果:SC_9-4:的主要甘油三酯是POP(42.8％)和PPP(14.6％),而棕榈油的主要甘油三酯是POP(31.3％)、POO(20.1％)、PLP(12.2％)和PLO(11.6％)。我们初步探讨甘油三酯组成与轧制性能关系认为,SC_9-4的高速轧制性能优于棕榈油,可能是和SC_9-4含PPP、PPS和PSS的含量(18.8％)高于棕榈油(9.9％)有关。     

On the mechanism of speed and altitude control in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT The total power output of tethered flying Drosophila melanogaster in still air depends on translational velocity components of image flow on the eye, whereas the orientation of the average flight force in the midsagittal plane of the fly is widely independent of visual input (Götz, 1968). The fly does not seem to control the vertical and the horizontal force component independently. Freely flying flies nevertheless generate different ratios between lift and thrust, simply by changing the inclination of their body. By the combined adjustment of the body angle and the total power output a fly appears to be able to stabilize height and speed (David, 1985). Here a possible mechanism is proposed by which the appropriate torque about the transverse body axis could be generated. Translational pattern motion influences the posture of the abdomen and the plane of wing oscillation. Thus the position of the centre of gravity relative to the flight force vector is changed. When abdomen and stroke plane deviate from an equilibrium state, a lever is generated by which the force vector will rotate the fly about its transverse axis.     

小地老虎变态期脂肪体变化及保幼激素类似物的影响

本文对小地老虎Agrotis ypsilon(Rottemberg)从四龄幼虫开始经预蛹和蛹的变态期及羽化为成虫后的脂肪体出现的超微结构变化,蛋白质含量的变动,以及蛋白质颗粒的形成和消失过程,进行了系统观察和组织化学分析。结果表明:(1)在幼虫期的后期,脂肪体扩大成宽带状,细胞体积增大的同时出现双核和多核。进入预蛹期,细胞内开始出现嗜碱性“蛋白质颗粒”,血细胞吞噬部分脂肪体细胞。蛹龄一天时,脂肪体转变成块状,细胞内充满大型蛋白质颗粒。在蛹龄5—10天内,“幼虫脂肪体”逐步崩解,围膜及细胞膜消失。至蛹龄12天时转变为预成虫,脂肪体细胞重新出现,并以气管分支为中心聚合成花朵状圆球体,再组成串状“成虫脂肪体”,仍充满蛋白质颗粒。幼虫期发达的粗面内质网和线粒体,至预蛹期则衰变成几种类型的蛋白质颗粒。(2)六龄幼虫在1—5日龄期间,每克脂肪体的蛋白质含量稳定在7.1—8.4毫克之间,随后逐步升高,至预蛹期达16.3毫克的峰值。蛹初期,雄蛹和雌蛹的含量分别增高到预蛹期的1.63和2.4倍。但在蛹龄2—8天内迅速下降到六龄幼虫期的水平。至蛹龄9—13天时间(包括预成虫),含量又突然猛增,雌蛹尤为显著。蛹期脂肪体细胞充满着的几种蛋白质颗粒,在羽化为成虫后的24小时内全部消失。在六龄幼虫期用保幼激素类似物ZR-515(20微克)作体壁处理,可使幼虫期延长4天,并使九日龄幼虫的脂肪体仍保持幼虫型状态。     

Ovarian and fat body protein concentrations in Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) parasitized by nematodes

The protein concentrations of fat body and ovaries in Ips sexdentatus either uninfected or infected by Parasitaphelenchus sp., P. sexdentati, or Contortylenchus diplogaster were measured at various stages of insect development, from preswarming maturation to the first oviposition (24 hr after mating). Weight variations of the fat body and ovaries in insects infected by C. diplogaster show the same evolution as those observed in uninfected insects, but at a much lower level. Fat body proteins in uninfected insects reach their minimum level during swarming, but they remain fairly constant throughout the maturation of the first egg. After dropping shortly after swarming, the ovarian protein level in such insects increases in two stages during ovarian maturation. The first stage, which corresponds to a slow protein incorporation, takes place during the first 12 hr after mating. During the second stage, i.e., beyond 12 hr, a significant level of proteins is rapidly incorporated into the ovaries. In insects infected by Parasitaphelenchus fat body proteins are reduced and protein incorporation into the ovaries is reduced; Parasitaphelenchus would thus affect at least some proteins required for ovarian maturation in their host. Fat body protein levels are even more affected by C. diplogaster than by Parasitaphelenchus, while incorporation into ovaries seems to be less affected in spite of slower ovarian growth. C. diplogaster might thus essentially act both upon proteins which are not required for the ovarian maturation of their host and upon nonproteinaceous substances that are required for such maturation. Results are discussed in relation to the possible mode of action of parasitic nematodes.