Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2011, 56(1):15-22 | DOI: 10.17221/150/2009-CJAS

Profile of the body surface proteolytic systém in Apis mellifera quee

A.J. Strachecka1, M.M. Gryzińska1, M. Krauze2, K. Grzywnowicz3
1 Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Animals Biology and Breeding, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
2 Department of Biochemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Animals Biology and Breeding, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
3 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland

The proteolytic system on the body surface of the honey bee has been insufficiently researched. In this study the body surface proteolytic activity was examined in queens at various developmental stages (eggs, larvae, pupae and imagines) in different seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Extracts of the body surface material with water and detergent were used for an in vitro analysis of the proteolytic activity and protease inhibitor level assaying, as well as for an electrophoretic separation of the extracts in polyacrylamide gels. The following methods were used: protein content testing by the Lowry method (modified by Schacterle-Pollack), protease activity testing by the Anson method and protease inhibitor activity testing by the Lee and Lin method. Our studies revealed a high protease activity in an acidic environment (pH = 2.4; the material rinsed with detergent), as well as in neutral (pH = 7) and alkaline (pH = 11.2) environments (the material rinsed with water in both cases). The highest protein concentration values were observed in the imagines from summer. The lowest activities of the proteases and protease inhibitors were determined in the eggs from summer. The highest activities of the acidic, neutral and alkaline proteases were observed in the pupae from spring. The highest number of protease activity bands in PAGE zymography was obtained for the neutral and alkaline activities in the queens for all the seasons. In the queens all the catalytic protease types were present: asparagine and cysteine proteases at pH = 2.4; cysteine proteases and metalloproteases at pH = 7 and serine proteases at pH = 11.2. These results were crucial for the analysis of immunity mechanisms on the body surface of the honey bee.

Keywords: Keywords: proteolytic system; Apis mellifera; queens

Published: January 31, 2011  Show citation

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Strachecka AJ, Gryzińska MM, Krauze M, Grzywnowicz K. Profile of the body surface proteolytic systém in Apis mellifera quee. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2011;56(1):15-22. doi: 10.17221/150/2009-CJAS.
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