Electrophoresis of the blood of the silkworm, Bombyx mori on filter paper

Abstract

1) The daily change of the electrophoretic pattern of the silkworm blood from larval to pupal stage was examined. Three components (b3, b2, b1) were present in the blood of the early period of the 5th instar as shown in the previous paper (AIZAWA, 1955), while from 4-5th day of the 5th instar to pupal stage, there appeared two components, which were densely stained (Figs. 1, 3). In the latter case, when the electrophoresis was performed with the diluted blood, three protein components could be clearly detected (Fig. 2). b3 is the fastest moving component and it seems to be albumin. b2 and b1 are probably globulin. b3 component decreased with the pupal age and finally disappeared, at earlier time in male than in female.2) Comparison of the electrophoretic patterns was made by veronal, phosphate, citrate, borate or tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane buffer with the varying ion concentration and pH. The separation of the protein fractions with veronal buffer (pH 8.6, I=0.05) was better than with other buffers.3) Comparison of staining, was examined using bromphenol blue, solar blue black and amido black. All dyes were suitable for the purpose. By sudan black staining, b3 component was slightly stained (Fig. 4).4) Paper strips were cut off from the electrophoresis paper of the jaundice-diseased blood at the regions of b3, b2+b1 and the starting line as shown in Fig. 5. The virus was extracted with the distilled water and the injection experiments were performed. The virus amount was highest in b2+b1 fractions and it decreased in the fraction from near the starting line. The virus activity was scarecely shown in the fraction of b3.5) Any difference, except for quantitative one was not observed in the electrophoretic patterns of the blood between the normal and diseased larvae (both nuclear and cytoplasmic polyhedroses). On the contrary, the pattern of Galleria mellonella is, however, different from that of Galleria-adapted silkworm jaundice virus (Aizawa, unpub.).