title: Characterization of a novel protein associated with the parasitization of lepidopteran hosts by an endoparasitic wasp.
abstract: We report basic biochemical characteristics of a parasitism-specific protein (PSP) expressed in hosts (Trichopluisa ni) of a parasitic wasp (Chelonus near curvimaculatus). Size exclusion HPLC and SDS-PAGE analysis of cross-linked products indicated the native conformation of the protein is as a monomeric polypeptide with an estimated M(r) of 185,000. Resolution by non-denaturing PAGE revealed two major PSP bands with different charges, PSP-1 and PSP-2, each of which corresponded to several isoforms on native IEF with a pl range of 4.57-5.45. Sequences for the N-terminus region and internal peptides after fragmentation of purified preparations of PSP-1 and PSP-2 did not resemble the sequence of any reported protein. Immunological characterization of PSP using antibodies generated against virus proteins from C. near curvimaculatus female wasps revealed that PSP shares a common epitope(s) with some structural components of the wasp polydnavirus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Soldevila
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019476:Insect Proteins; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018071:Polydnaviridae / Q000276:immunology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014863:Wasps / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D019476:Insect Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C085959:parasitism-specific protein, Anastrepha suspensa