The Amino Acid Composition of Anopheles stephensi(Diptera: Culicidae) Infected with Nosema algerae(Microsporida: Nosematidae)

Michael W. Henn, Reinhard Schopf, Walter A. Maier, Hanns M. Seitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The amino acid composition of larvae, pupae, and adult mosquitoes ofAnopheles stephensiinfected withNosema algeraeand noninfected insects was analyzed using an amino acid analyzer. The increase and decrease in the concentration of single amino acids during the development of the microsporidium were compared with the spread of meronts, sporonts, and spores within the host. The appearance of meronts and sporonts coincided mainly with an increase in the concentration of alanine and histidine. The amount of alanine, proline, and tyrosine decreased during spore formation. Tyrosine appeared in the hemolymph of infectedA. stephensi,whereas this amino acid could not be found in the blood of uninfected insects. The spores themselves contained predominantly the glycogenic amino acid alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, and glycine. Proline, methionine, or tyrosine could not be detected within the spores.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)42-47
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Invertebrate Pathology
Volume71
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Amino acid content
  • Anopheles stephensi
  • Diptera
  • Microspora
  • Nosema algerae

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