STORAGE PROTEINS IN ANTS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

Storage proteins are a major feature of holometabolous development in insects, accumulating during the larval period and disappearing during metamorphosis. In ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae), storage proteins als o play important roles in adult females. Three types of storage protei ns have been characterized from ants: hexamerins, proteins high in glu tamine/glutamic acid, and very high density lipoproteins (VHDLs). The hexamerins have moderately high levels of aromatic amino acids and bel ong to the arthropod hemocyanin family of proteins. The proteins high in glutamine/glutamic acid can form hexamers under some conditions, bu t the subunit size is larger than that of typical hexamerins. The VHDL s are dimeric and share features with storage chromoproteins described from Lepidoptera. In Camponotus festinatus (Formicinae), storage prot eins are found in adult ants in two situations. First, lack of brood s timulates workers to accumulate the same two storage hexamers found in larvae. Second, young virgin queens store large reserves of these pro teins before mating. Protein storage by queens has been confirmed in t wo other subfamilies of ants, indicating it is widespread. The capacit y to store proteins as adults enables queens to rear brood without lea ving the nest and workers to store rich reserves and regulate larval d iet seasonally.