STORAGE PROTEIN-UPTAKE IN HELICOVERPA-ZEA - ARYLPHORIN AND VHDL SHAREA SINGLE RECEPTOR

The major lepidopteran storage protein arylphorin is selectively taken up into perivisceral fat body of prepupae by receptor mediated endocy tosis. The arylphorin receptor was identified by ligand blotting and i n vitro binding studies. Fat body membranes contain a glycosylated rec eptor protein with an apparent molecular weight of 80,000 that binds a rylphorin with a K-D of 9.02 x 10(-8) M. Competitive binding experimen ts revealed that the arylphorin receptor is identical with the previou sly identified VHDL receptor. Apparently a single receptor mediates th e uptake of structurally distinct storage proteins. This storage prote in receptor is present only in perivisceral fat body and only during t he period around pupation when both storage proteins are sequestered. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.