PHOTOPERIODIC REGULATION OF HEMOLYMPH PROTEIN IN THE WOODROACH PARCOBLATTA-PENNSYLVANICA

In the woodroach, Parcoblatta pennsylvanica, growth rate during postem bryonic development has been shown to be photoperiodically controlled. We report here that the protein constituents of the hemolymph are als o under photoperiodic control. Electrophoretic patterns under SDS-PAGE conditions and total protein concentrations of hemolymph were measure d, Both total protein and the presence of a specific protein band in S DS-PAGE gels (at 82 kD), which we believe to be storage protein, and h ave termed Development Associated Storage Protein (DASP), showed an an nual cycle in animals sampled immediately after collection from the fi eld. Protein concentration in the hemolymph and the amount of DASP wer e found to be under photoperiodic control in the laboratory, Animals w ere maintained at constant temperature (25 degrees C) in light-dark cy cles of either 18h light and 6h of darkness (long-day) or 12h of light and 12h of darkness (short-day). Animals maintained in long-days exhi bited lower hemolymph protein concentrations than animals in short-day s, In contrast, DASP was prominent in long-day animals but was markedl y reduced or absent in short-day animals. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd