Polyamine changes during insect development: A comparison between the housefly Musca domestica and the plant bug Dysdercus koenigii

Abstract

Polyamine levels were measured during the entire life cycle of a dipteran insect, Musca domestica and a hemipteran insect, Dysdercus koenigii. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were found to be present at all stages of development in both the insects. A comparison of the polyamine changes in the two insects showed that spermidine is an important polyamine in insect development. Spermidine levels were very high in developing embryos of M. domestica before hatching of the egg. These spermidine levels decreased rapidly from first instar. On the contrary, in D. koenigii, spermidine levels were low in early development, started increasing in first instar and high levels were maintained from second to fifth instar nymphal stages. High levels of spermidine is probably indicative of rapid cell division in the above two groups of insects.