Acarologia (2003) 43, 229-238

A. Fernández-Calienes Valdés, J. Mendiola Martínez, H. Hernández Alvarez and Rafael de La Vega (2003)
Cisteíno y serino proteinasas en los huevos de Boophilus microplus
Acarologia 43 (3), 229-238
Abstract: To a better understanding of tick embryogenesis, the Boophilus microplus egg proteins degradation was studied. A complex profile mainly represented by 191.1, 138.3, 128.5, 114.9, 103.1, 83.0, 71.7 and 45.4 kDa peptides was showed, using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in denaturing conditions. Changes in protein composition began at third day of egg incubation suggesting the beginning of embryogenesis: Egg proteolysis occurred at low pH and cysteine proteinase inhibitors avoid degradation at different times of incubation preferentially at advanced embryogenesis. The cysteine-dependent acid proteolysis was represented by the presence of cathepsin B and L-like activities. Both activities increased at latest stages of embryo development, reaching the highest levels with hatching, especially the cathepsin L- like activity. A chymotrypsin like activity also appeared in the eggs at late embryogenesis and its value also reached a maximum with hatching.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Spanish)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhipicephalus microplus		Cuba