title: Studies on prophenoloxidase activation in the mosquito Aedes aegypti L.
abstract: This study, the first of its kind in a mosquito vector species, demonstrates the feasibility of studying prophenoloxidase activation in an insect containing not more than a few microliters of hemolymph. Mosquito phenoloxidase was found to be in an inactive proenzyme form, prophenoloxidase. Mosquito prophenoloxidase required bivalent cation for its activation; Ca2+ was found to be the most efficient for activation. Concomitant amidase activity was also observed prior to phenoloxidase activity. Through Western blotting, using a cross-reactive silkworm antiprophenoloxidase antibody, our results strongly suggest that mosquito prophenoloxidase activation resulted from limited proteolysis. Protease inhibitor studies reinforced this contention showing the involvement of (a) serine protease(s) with trypsin-like activity in the activation of mosquito prophenoloxidase.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Lutte Biologique contre les Insectes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Brey
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000201:enzymology*; D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000201:enzymology; D007814:Larva / Q000201:enzymology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011189:Potassium Chloride; C038451:pro-phenoloxidase; D004156:Catechol Oxidase; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C019665:amidase; D002122:Calcium Chloride