Female specific proteins in Triatoma infestans haemolymph

Abstract

The presence of female specific proteins in triatoma infestans haemolymph, as well as the relationship between the female specific proteins and egg proteins, were analysed. At the same time, the presence of specific female proteins in different instars was studied. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunochemical methods were used. No differences between immature female and male haemolymph were established. Female haemolymph obtained from insects with ovary development revealed quantitative differences, with cellulose acetate, with respect to the control males. With polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, one component that is not detected in control males was detected in mature female haemolymph. With immunochemical assays, at least two antigenic components that were not observed in male haemolymph were detected. Egg extract showed, with cellulose acetate, two bands with a mobility similar to that of the proteins increased in the haemolymph of the mature female; with polyacrylamide gel, two major bands with a mobility similar to that of the specific female haemolymph protein were detected. Egg extract contains at least two components demonstrated by double-diffusion assays and three components by immunoelectrophoresis, with immunological identity to specific mature female haemolymph proteins. The extract obtained from recently hatched insects revealed two components with immunological identity to specific female proteins. Haemolymph from first, second, third, fourth and fifth instars do not appear to contain any femalespecific haemolymph protein.