Hemolymph titers of the biliprotein, insecticyanin, during development of Manduca sexta

Abstract

The levels of a biliverdin-associated protein in the hemolymph of larvae, pupae and adults, and in egg homogenates, of Manduca sexta were determined by radial immunodiffusion. The concentration of the protein fluctuates dramatically during development and displays an ontogenetic pattern different from that of the total hemolymph protein concentration. During the larval stages studied, the very early fourth instar displayed the highest concentration of insecticyanin (0.6 mg/ml), which dropped precipitously afterwards (0.3 mg/ml). During fifth instar development, the levels decreased after ecdysis (0.15 mg/ml), began to rise at wandering, and nearly doubled (0.3 mg/ml) by the time of pupation. Pupal titers of the protein remained fairly constant until the day before adult eclosion, when titers increased. The highest levels of any stage were recorded for adults 12 hr post eclosion (0.80 mg/ml).