title: Monoclonal antibodies recognizing larval- and pupal-specific cuticular proteins of Tenebrio molitor (Insecta, Coleoptera).
abstract: To study the sequential expression of insect epidermal cells during metamorphosis, a library of monoclonal antibodies (MABs) was prepared against the water-soluble proteins from preecdysial pupal cuticle of Tenebrio molitor. Six selected MABs recognizing only larval and pupal cuticular proteins (CPs) in immunoblot analysis were classified into three types. Type 1 recognized a 21.5 and a 22 kDa polypeptide, type 2, a 26 kDa polypeptide, and type 3, three polypeptides of 18.5, 19.5 and 21.5 kDa. They did not immunoreact with any protein of fat bodies or haemolymph from pharate pupae, suggesting that the antigens originate from the epidermis. The stage-specificity was confirmed by electron microscopic immunogold labelling. Type 1 and 3 MABs recognized antigens characterizing larval and pupal preecdysial sclerotized cuticles, while the antigens recognized by type 2 were localized in the first few lamellae of unsclerotized postecdysial cuticle. When the expression of the adult programme was inhibited by application of a juvenile hormone analogue, the larval-/pupal-specific CPs were detected in the supernumerary pupal cuticle. These results suggest that the genes encoding these proteins are juvenile hormone dependent. These MABs should be useful tools to isolate pupal-specific genes whose regulation sems to be different from that of the adult-specific ones.
authors.affiliation: URA CNRS n° 674, Développement, Communication Chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Aleth
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.affiliation: URA CNRS n° 674, Développement, Communication Chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Millot
authors.affiliation: URA CNRS n° 674, Développement, Communication Chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Curie
authors.affiliation: URA CNRS n° 674, Développement, Communication Chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Massonneau
authors.affiliation: URA CNRS n° 674, Développement, Communication Chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delachambre
keywords: Cuticular proteins; Immunoanalysis; Juvenile hormone; Metamorphosis; Stage-specific gene expression