Abstract
1. The highest monooxygenase (p-nitroanisoleO-demethylase) activity per insect equivalent of tissue in last instar tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens F.) larvae was found in gut homogenates. Relative activities of homogenates of other tissues or body regions (gut = 1.0) were: fat body, 0.54; Malpighian tubule, 0.04; silk gland, 0.02; integument (including remaining interal tissues),0.04; and head capsule, 0.03. 2. Gut monooxygenases were maximally active at pH 7.8 and 25°C. Activity was linear with respect to time for up to 20 min and with respect to enzyme level for up to 2.5 tissue equivalents/incubation. 3. Most (94%) of the activity of whole gut homogenates was recovered in a 750 g supernatant; recoveries in 10,000 g supernatant and 100,000 g pellet fractions were 56 and 29%, respectively, of the initial activity. 4. These results identify appropriate conditions for measuring the monooxygenase activity of tobacco budworm larval gut tissue.
Published Version
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