Open AccessA novel lipoprotein from the hemolymph of the cochineal insect, Dactylopius confusus
Author(s) -
Ziegler Rolf,
Willingham Leslie A.,
Engler Diane L.,
Tolman Kenneth J.,
Bellows David,
Van der Horst Dick J.,
YepizPlascencia Gloria M.,
Law John H.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1999.00276.x
Subject(s) - hemolymph , manduca sexta , insect , adipokinetic hormone , biology , sphingidae , biochemistry , lipoprotein , botany , cholesterol , fat body , larva
A new type of insect lipoprotein was isolated from the hemolymph of the female cochineal insect Dactylopius confusus . The lipoprotein from the cochineal insect hemolymph was found to have a relative molecular mass of 450 000. It contains 48% lipid, mostly diacylglycerol, phospholipids and hydrocarbons. The protein moiety of the lipoprotein consists of two apoproteins of approximately 25 and 22 kDa, both of which are glycosylated. Both apolipoproteins are also found free in the hemolymph, unassociated with any lipid. Purified cochineal apolipoproteins can combine with Manduca sexta lipophorin, if injected together with adipokinetic hormone into M. sexta . This could indicate that the cochineal lipoprotein can function as a lipid shuttle similar to lipophorins of other insects, and that the cochineal insect apolipoproteins have an overall structure similar to insect apolipophorin‐III.