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Apolipophorin‐III‐like protein expressed in the antenna of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Author(s) -
Guntur Kalyani V.P.,
Velasquez Daniel,
Chadwell Linda,
Carroll Christopher,
Weintraub Susan,
Cassill J. Aaron,
Renthal Robert
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.20019
Subject(s) - red imported fire ant , hymenoptera , biology , fire ant , botany , ant , ecology
Antennal proteins of the male fire ant ( Solenopsis invicta ) were analyzed by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis, with the objective of identifying pheromone‐binding proteins, which have not previously been found in ant antennae. The major low‐molecular weight protein found in the male fire ant antenna was subjected to Edman degradation to determine the N‐terminal amino acid sequence. Degenerate PCR primers based on this sequence were used to obtain a cDNA sequence corresponding to the full‐length protein sequence. In‐gel trypsin digestion followed by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry and HPLC‐ESI/MS/MS demonstrated that the protein gel spot contained only the protein corresponding to the cDNA sequence obtained by PCR. The sequence is similar to apolipophorin‐III, an exchangeable lipid‐binding protein. Fire ant apolipophorin‐III is expressed in the antenna as well as the head, thorax and abdomen. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 57:101–110, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.