title: Oxygen consumption in relation to sorbitol utilization at the termination of diapause in eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
abstract: Rates of oxygen consumption were followed throughout the entire period of diapause in eggs of Bombyx mori. In non-diapause eggs at 25 degrees C, O(2) uptake was divisible into three phases, corresponding to morphogenetic processes. In diapause eggs at 25 degrees C, O(2) uptake showed a peak (100 &mgr;l/g eggs/h) at 1 day and then suddenly dropped to reach a level of 8-10 &mgr;l/g eggs/h at 10 days and thereafter. To break diapause, eggs were exposed to 5 degrees C for varying periods. When O(2) uptake was measured at 5 degrees C, it remained at 6 &mgr;l/g eggs/h. When eggs were chilled for increasing periods and O(2) uptake was measured immediately after warming to 25 degrees C, the rates increased after a lag phase. In HCl-treated eggs, O(2) uptake increased immediately after acid-treatment. In all cases, highly increasing O(2) uptake at 25 degrees C coincided with termination of diapause. These results were discussed in relation to sorbitol utilization at the termination of diapause.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Sericulture and Entomoresources, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yaginuma
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yamashita