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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #67525
Title: THE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VENOM OF THE EULOPHID PARASITOID EUPLECTRUS COMSTOCKII: A CHRONICLE OF VENOM PROTEINS, VENOM ACTIVITY AND STORAGE PROTEIN TITER WITHIN THE HEMOLYMPH OF TRICHOPLUSIA NI

Author
item WRIGHT, MAUREEN - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item Coudron, Thomas
item BRANDT, SANDRA - UNIV OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Entomology International Congress
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/25/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The ectoparasitoid Euplectrus comstockii (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) injects a venom into the hemocoel of its hosts where the hemolymph is believed to facilitate the transport of the venom to target tissues. The wasp's venom alters the physiology of the host to accommodate its young by arresting larval-larval ecdysis and stimulating the premature production of storage proteins. To further determine whether these effects are due to one or more substances within the venom, the temporal dynamics of venom activity within the hemolymph of the host was investigated by bioassaying parasitized hemolymph at different times post-parasitism for arrestment activity, and for determining storage protein production. Crude venom, extracted from Euplectrus venom glands, was also incubated in hemolymph or phosphate buffer outside the host, and bioassayed as well. These studies show that arrestment activity within the hemolymph decreases to < 5% within n12 hours post parasitism, while purified venom incubated in a phosphate buffer solution retains 100% of its arrestment activity over this time period. A profile of venom proteins present in parasitized hemolymph which arrests molting or stimulates storage protein production was compared to the venom profile from inactive hemolymph. These results provide further clues as to the function of specific proteins within the venom of Euplectrus comstockii.