Age-dependent variation in enzymatic and electrophoretic properties of flesh fly (Sarcophaga bullata) and blow fly (Phormia regina) carboxylesterases

Abstract

1. The enzymatic and electrophoretic properties of the soluble carboxylesterases have been compared in the hemolymph and cytosol of adult and larval flesh flies, Sarcophaga bullata, Parker, and blow flies, Phormia regina, Meigen. 2. Female adult flesh flies exhibited a peak in hemolymph esterase activity during days 8–12 with a maximum increase of approximately 3-fold. No such peak was observed during the adult stage of the blow fly. 3. Inhibition studies indicated the absence of arylesterases in the flesh fly, but approximately two- thirds of the 1-naphthylacetate cleaving activity of the blow fly was attributed to this enzyme. The carboxylesterase activity of the blow fly hemolymph was approximately one-third and that of the cytosol approximately one-half the level found in flesh fly tissues. 4. The carboxylesterases of the two species were induced within 12 hr after topical treatment of adults with a juvenile hormone analog, hydroprene. 5. The esterases of the species exhibited similar electrophoretic patterns, with 16 isozymes evident with the flesh fly and 14 with the blow fly. It was possible to relate some of the isozyme bands to age-dependent and substrate-dependent events.