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The titres of lectins in the haemolymph of Lacanobia oleracea and the effects of parasitism by the ectoparasitoid wasp Eulophus pennicornis
Author(s) -
Mosson Helen J.,
Richards Elaine H.,
Marris Gay C.,
Edwards John P.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3032.2000.00195.x
Subject(s) - biology , hemolymph , lectin , eulophidae , parasitism , lepidoptera genitalia , brassica oleracea , noctuidae , agglutinin , botany , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , larva , parasitoid , ecology , host (biology)
Serum from larvae of Lacanobia oleracea L. (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae) parasitized by Eulophus pennicornis (Hymenoptera; Eulophidae) and from normal non‐parasitized larvae is capable of agglutinating rabbit, sheep, calf, goat, chicken, horse and human erythrocytes, but not yeast. Studies with a range of inhibitory carbohydrates showed that serum lectins(s) had specificity for sugars containing galactose and for rhamnose, and for the glycosubstances fetuin and asialofetuin. Lectin activity is heat‐labile and is not dependent on calcium. Parasitism by E. pennicornis caused an increase in the agglutination titre of the serum from larvae of L. oleracea but not an increase in specific activity (titre per mg protein per ml). However, when venom from the venom gland of female wasps was injected into L. oleracea larvae, both the agglutinating activity and the specific activity of the larval serum increased. The possible causes of this increase are discussed. It is suggested that venom contains antigenic components which, when injected into the haemocoel of the L. oleracea larva, may be increasing lectin synthesis and/or release into the serum.