The influence of diet and feeding state on FMRFamide-related peptides in the gut of Locusta migratoria L.
Gut tissues of 2-week post-ecdysis female Locusta migratoria L. were assayed for FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity (FLI) during various feeding states using both radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry. The feeding states investigated were: (a) 48- and 24-h starved; (b) 5-, 30-, or 60-min post-feeding initiation; and (c) a diet of wheat grass, carrots, or apples. We determined: (1) the feeding state of a locust influences FLI in all gut tissues; (2) variations in diet appear to influence FLI in all gut tissues; (3) more than one FMRFamide-related peptide (FaRP) responds to differences in diet and state of starvation in the gut tissues; and (4) the protein poor diets (carrot and apple), in conjunction with the assertion that protein to carbohydrate ratio in the diet is the key component for nutrient balancing, suggests that FaRPs may play a role in maintaining balanced nutrient content in the locust.
Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, Ont., Canada L5L 1C6. shill@utm.toronto.ca
Sharon R
SR
Hill
Ian
I
Orchard
D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000378:metabolism; D019835:FMRFamide / Q000032:analysis*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000737:chemistry*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013217:Starvation
D019835:FMRFamide